50 Times She Should've Fallen For Him
by ghostfireninja
Summary: Some moments, 50 moments you made a connection. It's because it's always you who catches me at times when I think I don't need someone, but you knew better. Some lines and scenes have appeared in the manga, just added something. Sasanatsu . R/R :D
1. I'll Stay With You For A Bit

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari No Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>1<strong>

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><p>It was their first encounter. Without Haru, they wouldn't even be close to each other. What, with Natsume's inferiority to boys, even if Sasayan is a friendly guy, it would've been impossible.<p>

Sasayan knew how cold she was with boys way before, when class was just starting. Natsume had dropped her eraser on the floor. With Sasayan picking it up and handing it to her, Sasayan would've expected a "Thank you". Instead, she snobbed him.

At that time, Sasayan was sure he'd never get along with the girl, not even close to being friends. But hey, the least things you expect to happen are the things that mostly happen in the future. And now, he didn't know if he should be thankful for Haru or not.

At a supermarket, a girl with auburn hair was helplessly carrying a bag of nails and wood and various other construction tools. It would've been weird for a pretty girl like her who looked like someone who never really cared much about construction, but such was the case. It's not her decision, anyway. Haru and Mitty, and Sasayan was supposed to be with her at that time. But Haru got into some ruckus with some gang from another school and Mitty and Sasayan ran off to safety. She didn't even know something was happening until she looked around and noticed that her friends were nowhere to be found.

"Aggh. Why do I have to be in this-". She was carrying the bag to the counter when a boy she still wasn't very familiar with walked inside the store. He wore a shy look on his face, but he tried to smile even though. He walked towards her and he spoke as he did so.

"Sorry…" He started. "For leaving you like that. We had to, or else things would be bad." He noticed the heavy bag she was carrying and offered his hand. "Can I?"

Unexpected thing to happen #2 – after snobbing him for picking up her eraser, she held her hand farther away from him so he couldn't even get a hold of the handle. She looked at him weirdly, and Sasayan, surprised about it, looked back curiously. There was a weird moment of silence between them that time, and Sasayan wondered whatever was the problem.

"Ah. Natsume-san?" Sasayan started. He was indeed surprised at Natsume's weird gesture.

"No-nothing." She handed the bag to him. Sasayan, still looking at her curiously, accepted it. He looked around to check if Yamaken and his pals were still around and he noticed Natsume was hiding her face away. He looked at her once more and asked her.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't answer, she hoped it was enough to keep his attention away from her, but it didn't. "I- I'm not good with boys, okay?" She admitted.

"Oh." Sasayan said. Then he laughed. "You don't have to worry about me, see."

"Ye-yeah." Natsume replied. "I guess I can tell."

"How come?" Sasayan asked. But instead of hearing her answer, he turned to the cashier and paid for the materials.

Natsume was still thinking if there was something weird about the situation, but she can't quite point out what it was. She was drowned with curiosity until Sasayan faced her. "Come on, let's go to Haru and the others."

So the two walked together with a bicycle in between them. Sasayan didn't like to be quiet when it's not the right time, so mostly the conversations they had were started by him.

"Oh yeah." He said, once they travelled a few distance from the store. He stopped walking, as if he remembered something, which he really did. "What was that about you.. you know, when you said you can tell that you don't have to worry about me. How come?"

"Oh that." Natsume quickly answered just as he was about to finish his question. "It's just, it happens very rarely I-"

Sasayan turned his head to her, his brows creasing. "What happens very rarely?" Sasayan said.

Natsume kept her head on the road. For a moment Sasayan thought she was ignoring him, but she started to talk. "Promise, don't laugh."

"Promise." Sasayan said.

"It's about boys, like you. Usually after a few days or even hours of knowing me, they start telling me they like me, or anything."

Natsume noticed Sasayan was covering his mouth with his free hand, obviously trying not to laugh.

"You promise you won't laugh." Natsume pouted.

"Not.. it's just." He chuckled once more. "Just I didn't expect that."

"It's true." Natsume said, reassuring it. "Do-don't think I'm being too full of myself, please. It's just that, I don't like it when it happens, and I was just… surprised it didn't. You know, with us… being alone."

At that point, Sasayan laughed a little harder. "So, you think… or you were expecting I'd confess to you?"

Natsume didn't answer. Instead, her face grew red.

"So when that didn't happen, you concluded that you won't have to worry about me?" Sasayan said.

Natsume nodded quietly.

"I'll try." Sasayan said. "I mean, yeah. You won't have to worry about me."

Natsume didn't answer, but she listened anyway. A few minute later, she smiled. "I'm so happy. I was actually worried about what I should do if you fell in love with me. There are those types! Boys start off being friends and then attack you by surprise." She paused. "Oh Sasayan-kun, please don't ever do that."

"Right." Sasayan said. "I think it'd be fine."

A few moments later, Sasayan yelled. "Oiiii." He raised his hands and waved it upon the air. He grinned. Natsume looked ahead and saw Mitty and Haru waiting for them. Natsume was excited upon seeing Mitty, she was her first friend, after all.

But actually she was really glad that they were already there. She's not yet used to being with Sasayan's side alone. Besides, she said something really embarrassing, so she doesn't want to talk to him or anything.

But why did those words spit out of her mouth? Most guys Natsume met for the first time, they'd fall head over heels for her. And as usual, she'd ignore them. She was just surprised that it wasn't the case for Sasayan. Well, if she looks at him, she can tell that maybe Sasayan wasn't into those kinds of things. But still, he's weird. Being around him feels weird.

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><p><strong>2<strong>

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><p>There are a few times when Natsume would have no choice but to be left alone with Sasayan. It's not like she doesn't like being with him, it's just she's still not used with the aura. She'd rather stay with Mitty even though most of the things she tell her, she wasn't sure if it even get into Mitty's head.<p>

One of these times was when she was washing her face after cleaning. The sink outside was near the baseball field, and Sasayan was practicing along with his teammates. She almost jumped when he heard him call her from behind. When Natsume turned around, she saw Sasayan grinning at her, waving his hands.

She waved her hands back and smiled. She noticed they were just done practicing, and so Sasayan went out of the field and ran towards her.

"Sup." He started. "Where's Haru and Shizuku?"

"Doing their own business." Natsume replied.

"Oh?" Sasayan said. "Is that so?"

Natsume nodded.

Sasayan shrugged his shoulders. He took his towel and wiped it on his face. He drank from his water and noticed Natsume was watching him. He raised his eyebrows as he held out the bottle in front of Natsume.

Natsume shook her head and spoke instead. "Aren't you going home, Sasayan-kun?

"Nah." Sasayan said. He looked at his right where a giant tree was standing. "Guess I'd like to take a little break."

"Oh." Natsume said. "Okay. I'm going first then." She began to wave her arms and walked away. Sasayan grinned and waved back, then he walked towards the tree as soon as Natsume completely turned around.

He liked to sit under that shade whenever he feels tired. Though he may be a very social person, he prefers to be alone sometimes too. Especially when he wants to think clearly. He got his cap and covered his face with it. A few minutes late, he fell asleep.

Almost slept.

"Sasayan-kun." Someone said. At first Sasayan though he was dreaming. But… but why would he hear Natsume's voice in his dream. He opened his eyes and took off the cap that's been obscuring his view. He looked up to see Natsume, her face a little terrified.

"Na-Natsume san?" Sasayan said. He rubbed his eyes before asking talking again. "I thought you left already."

"I did." Natsume said. "But…" She looked down.

"What?" Sasayan said. "Did you miss me already?" Sasayan joked.

"No. That's not it!" Natsume denied. "Stupid Sasayan."

"I know I know." Sasayan replied. He was still laughing . "I was just kidding." He took another laugh and breathed in. "So, what's the problem?"

"There are guys outside the school." Natsume said. "Creepy guys."

"Are you scared?" Sasayan asked. Then he regretted having said it immediately. Of course, any girl would be afraid if there are creepy guys around, especially when they're alone. "I mean. I'm-" He sighed. "Stay with me for the time being then, if they're really that creepy." Sasayn said, he looked away.

"Don't think about what you shouldn't be thinking or anything. Don't misunderstand." Natsume said.

"What? What's with-" Sasayan said. His face turned red as soon as he realized what she was thinking. "No, it's not like that. It's NOT a date if that's what you were thinking, okay?" He waved his arms frantically, hoping it would close the topic.

"Ye-yeah." Natsume agreed.

"I told you, you don't need to worry about me." Sasayan reminded her.

"Okay." Natsume said.

Natsume sat under like Sasayan. She was leaning on the other side of the tree opposite to Sasayan's, so they couldn't see each other.

"Do you really have to be there?" Sasayan said, peeking a look at her from beside the tree. He moved to his side so they both won't be completely facing each other's backs, but there was still some distance between them, just enough for Sasayan to look at Natsume without completely turning around.

Besides, it would be weird talking to someone without seeing them.

"Not a bit closer." Natsume said.

Sasayan let out a sigh mixed with a little laugh. "You're really serious about that, huh."

"Mm." Natsume agreed as she nodded her head.

"I don't really know what we're gonna do so… you can talk about whatever you want." Sasayan said.

"What should I talk about?" Natsume said, wondering.

"I don't know. Your blog or anything."

"How'd you know about my blog?" Natsume said, stunned by his statement. She almost stood up.

"You really do have a blog?" Sasayan said. "I was just guessing."

"Guess you guessed right." Natsume said.

"So, what do you put in your 'blog'?" Sasayan asked.

"None of your business." Natsume replied, though she wasn't completely serious.

"Whatever you say." Sasayan said. He smiled. "Hey, just do whatever you want. I won't mind. If you talk, and if ever I don't reply, then that means I'm asleep. I'm kind of tired, that's why. Sorry."

"That's okay. Okay." Natsume replied.

"Or if you don't want to talk, we could just stay like this for a while, just sitting." Sasayan said.

Natsume looked at him suspiciously.

After that, the two of them stayed quiet. Sasayan was humming some tune until he fell asleep. Natsume was enjoying the breeze, and Sasayan's hum was mixing with the sounds in the air. It's as if it's been there from the start. She closed her eyes as she sat.

The sound stopped, and she opened her eyes. She took a peek at Sasayan and saw that he was already asleep. He looked nothing like someone who played baseball when he's asleep. He looked as though he's some kid who was taking a nap after playing for hours with other kids, like they usually do. Natsume couldn't see his face since he was covering it with his cap.

She noticed he was looking at him for quite some time. She felt awkward since the last time she looked at him this long was when the two of them were too early one time when for their meet up. Well, along with Mitty and Haru. It's just Sasayan and Natsume came first.

That moment was awkward since they both reached the entrance at the same time, and they looked at each other more than they should have. She was glad she spoke. If she didn't, they might've stayed like that for quite some time.

"What you looking at?"

Natsume almost gasped when she heard him talk.

"You scared me." She said. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was." Sasayan said. He sat up. He scratched his head, then he faced her. "Wanna go home already?"

It took Natsume quite some time before she could respond because she wasn't sure herself.

"What if they're still there?" Natsume said.

Sasayan laughed. "You're not alone anymore, you know."

"But…"

"Okay fine. We'll wait a little longer."He looked at her from his side and lied back down again. He closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm very rude." He said. "I'm just sleeping here."

Sasayan opened one eye, looking at the girl sitting not too close beside him. He fished out a device from his pocket.

"Here. You can listen to if you're bored. If you want."

Natsume didn't say anything, but she accepted it.

"Natsume-san?" He said again. "Just wake me up if you want to go home already." Pause. "And don't leave me, at least wake me up if you don't want to go home with me… Okay?"

"Okay." Natsume said quietly.

Sasayan smiled, but she couldn't see it under his cap.

Sasayan saw her adjust his earphones on her ear before he went back to take a nap.


	2. Because You Didn't Say Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>3<strong>

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><p>The day was beginning to get late and it was time for the students to be dismissed from school. Usually, Natsume would greet each of them wholeheartedly before she would leave for home. But this time, Sasayan noticed she didn't do any of that. He didn't know why he did, maybe it became part of his everyday life in school that when it came to a time that it never happened, it bothered him.<p>

He looked around for Natsume, but instead he only found Mitty. She was walking her way towards the gate and Sasayan decided to ask her if ever she knew where Natsume was.

"Oh. Natsume-san?" Shizuku said. "I think she left already."

"She did?" Sasayan said, a little too stunned.

"Yes." Shizuku replied.

Sasayan noticed the way Mitty looking at him and he quickly smiled.

"Oh so, that's it." He just said, hoping it would take Mitty's weird stare off. It's not like she should doubt or anything, anyway. "Where's Haru, by the way?" He added. Just to make sure. "Shouldn't you two be together?"

He noticed Mitty's face turn red. "I told him to go first."

Now it was Sasayan's turn to give her a weird stare. "Okay." He said. "I have to go now too. Bye." He waved his arms and pedaled on with his bike, leaving Shizuku alone, standing still. He called to her as soon as he reached the gate. "Oi Shizuku! Haru's here."

Shizuku saw Sasayan being grabbed by two hands. He almost fell in his bike. "You shouldn't have done tha-" She heard Haru say. Haru stopped as soon as he noticed Shizuku can see him now. He grinned. Having the chance, Sasayan went off.

"I'll be going first now." Sasayan said. "Byeeee." Then he was gone.

"That little brat." Haru said.

Sasayan left school with a happy face. It's nice to have a little teasing now and then. When he turned to a corner though, his face turned from a grin to a bit of surprise. Nasume was walking there, and a little too slow, by the way. It was as if she was sulking, which Sasayan really thought of.

He went closer to where she was walking and she straightened when she heard him call her name.

"Sa-Sasayan-kun?" She turned around and saw Sasayan waving his left hand to her. She waved back and smiled, but it quickly disappeared.

"Ah- what's the matter Natsume-san?" Sasayan said as soon as he caught up to her. He pedaled on his bike slowly to keep up with her pace. He rode beside her. He wanted to go a little ahead so he can see her face clearly, but he decided not to. It would be weird.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Sasayan said. "I might not be very good at guessing, but I think you're lying."

"Why would you say that?" Natsume relied.

"It's just…" Sasayan said, finding it a bit difficult to continue his sentence. "Where's the usual 'Goodbye' with a big smile plastered on your face right before you go home?"

"Oh that." Natsume said. "You saw right through me, huh." Natsume managed a little laugh. "Stupid Sasayan."

Sasayan's eyes widened in reaction. "Me? What did I do?"

"It's my math score." Natsume admitted. "I know myself I'm not really good at it, but that exam, I was hoping at least I got a hold of it. I mean, I was sure. I studied."

"Oh." Sasayan said. "Yeah. Mine's pretty bad too."

"But you still got a higher score than me." Natsume bawled like a child.

"Yeah. Got lucky, I guess." Sasayan said. He found it a little hard to keep up with her pace, since it's difficult to keep a good balance if you're pedaling slow. "Ah- Natsume-san?"

"Yeah?" Natsume said, turning towards him.

"Would you like to ride on the back?" He asked innocently. "It's kind of hard to keep my balance. And it's rude to tell you to go faster so…"

"Then you should go ahead then."

"Yeah." Sasayan said. "Maybe I should. But I don't want to..." He stopped. Then he looked at her curiously. "Does this have something to do with-"

"No." Natsume didn't let him continue his sentence. "I just want to walk... for now."

Sasayan didn't reply. Instead, he sighed. Natsume noticed a lot of shuffling from her side and she noticed Sasayan was getting off his bike. "What are you doing?" Natsume said.

"Getting off." Sasayan said. "Isn't It obvious?" He looked at her. "Just kidding. I'm walking with you, if that's what really answers your question.

"You… don't have to do that, you know." Natsume said, her face facing the floor.

"Like I said, I don't want to." He said.

Natsume didn't reply.

"And it's not what you think, too." Sasayan added.

Natsume didn't say a word as they walked. Sasayan thought it was a little too awkward walking to a girl without saying anything, so he decided to talk. "Hey."

Natsume didn't reply.

"Hey." Sasayan poked her.

Natsume was brought back to her senses. It was as if she forgotten Sasayan was on her side. "Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"If you're still worried about your score," Sasayan started saying. "Don't be."

"Don't be? Why?" Natsume said.

"Because there's still a lot of time then. And at that time, you can spend it with me." Sasayan told her as if he was lecturing a kid. "And Mitty, and Haru. And pretty sure Mitty can help you out."

"But what if it would still never work?" Natsume said.

"Just hope it would." Sasayan said.

"Okay." Natsume said.

Sasayan smiled. He was thankful she at least listened.

"Sasayan-kun?" Natsume said. "Thank you."

"Ah… It's nothing." He said.

The silence enveloped them again for a little longer. It wasn't until they were almost at Natsume's house that she spoke. "Hey… you didn't have to stay with me that long. See, you ended up walking me home."

Sasayan looked ahead and noticed the place wasn't very familiar.

"That's my house over there." Natsume said. "Thanks… again. I feel like I should be treating you or anything."

Sasayan was surprised himself. For some reasons, he didn't notice that he stayed with her longer than he should have. "You don't have to." He said. "I'll be going off now."

Natsume smiled. "Where's your house by the way, Sasayan-kun?"

Sasayan pointed back to the road they had just walked through.

"You- your house is way over there? Sasayan-kun!" Natsume spoke a little too loudly.

Sasayan scratched his head. "Sorry, I didn't notice myself. But it's okay. Really."

"Now I really feel like I should treat you or anything." Natsume said. "Gaaah, why didn't you tell me your house was way over there? Now you have to walk for a great distance again. You could've saved a lot of energy and time…"

Natsume was babbling. "Really. It's okay, Natsume san." Sasayan said. "Besides, I have my bike, so it isn't really much trouble."

"Sorry." Natsume said. She looked down. "Really."

"You don't have to." He said. They were now in front of her house. Even by that, Sasayan still continued to walk with her. He didn't know what's going on with him. "So- ah. I think it's enough."

"More than enough!" Natsume said. "Thanks… again. Seriously! For listening and being with me." Natsume said, clearly embarrassed. She bowed to Sasayan before going in her house. Actually, running.

Sasayan was left staring at their door. As soon as it closed, he sighed. "Seriously, why didn't I notice such an obvious thing." He adjusted his bike to turn towards the other direction. "I guess she was right, stupid Sasayan." He found himself smiling. He rode away.


	3. A Little Bet Backfires

**Disclaimer: I do not own TOnari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

**A/N: Aaaggh. Feeling kind of not busy today. Decided to post another one. Since this week would be one hell of an exam week, and from then on I'd be deprived of their cuteness. This chappy's kind of short, but I hope it can still live up to that Sasanatsu feels. **

**Now. Need to study. R/R :)**

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><p><strong>4<strong>

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><p>"Gaaaaaaaah." The whole room was filled with an agonizing scream of defeat from a girl named Natsume. It's been their fifth game and Natsume was already tired of losing.<p>

"Haru kun." She said. "Are you really not cheating?" They've been playing cards, and throughout their rounds, she had always lost. Haru had won all of them. She looked at her fellow players. "Mitty." She cried, pleading to let her win even just once, or at least let her not be in the last place. She turned to Sasayan. "Sasayan-kun." She said, looking at him as if he did something unforgivable.

Sasayan raised his eyebrows. "What did I do?"

"I can't stand losing to a boy, especially to Sasayan-kun."

"Ah." Sasayan felt insulted. "What about Haru?"

"I can accept that Haru can beat me, but not Sasayan-kun."

"What about another round then?" Sasayan said, smirking. "You beat me, well, I treat you something. If I win, you stop that… thing."

"Hmmm." Natsume thought about it.

"Ah." Haru raised his hand. "We're playing too. You guys shouldn't have any bets that involve only you two."

"Haru." Mitty said, her voice as serious as her face. Her hand was on his shoulder. "Let them be." Haru looked at her back and thought for a while. He concluded Shizuku just don't want to be involved with some kind of wager. She didn't even agree to play with them in the first place. But Natsume insisted.

Oh, Shizuku.

"Yo, manager." Sasayan said as soon as Micchan stepped inside. Micchan waved his hands.

"Playing cards, eh?" He said. "Who's losing?"

Natsume's face turned red as soon as everyone turned their eyes on her.

"One round." Natsume screamed. "Just give me one chance. Sasayan-kun, no cheating."

"I-I'm not…" But Natsume didn't let him continue.

So they started their game. The manager was watching them as they played. He was done cleaning the counter and Natsume still hasn't made her turn yet. She noticed Micchan look at her, he came closer. He peeked at her cards and reached out his hand. He took one and threw it on the table.

"Let me help you with this." He said. He turned to her. "You don't want to lose again."

Natsume was supposed to feel embarrassed about it, and her face didn't fail to show it. Sasayan can't help but watch her in that state. He didn't know why the way Natsume looked at Micchan bothered him.

"Ah. It's my turn then." Sasayan said. He threw a card.

"An ACE?" Natsume screamed. "Baka baka Sasayan-kun. You should've told me you've had that."

"If I did, then I'd lose." Sasayan said.

Natsume stayed quiet.

It was then Shizuku's turn, and then Haru's, and then it was back to Natsume's. She was scanning her cards carefully but Micchan had already picked one. When he threw out one, Sasayan gasped.

"Waah." He couldn't help himself. "Seriously?"

And for the first time ever, Natsume had a chance. Even Shizuku and Haru were surprised. Sasayan continued to scan his cards. His face was almost beading with sweat. "Gaaah. I give up." He admitted. "You win, this time." He looked at Natsume.

Then he looked at the manager, "But I guess without the manager, you wouldn't have done that."

Natsume stuck her tongue out to him. "Sasayan-kun jealous." Then he looked at Mitty and Haru. "I won." She screamed in glee.

"Congratulations." Micchan said. She turned to him and she receded from jumping up and down on her seat.

"Ah, no. It's.. Thank you, actually." Natsume said.

"You cheated." Sasayan interrupted.

"It wasn't against the rule to have someone help you." Natsume said. She turned to Mitty. "Right?" Maybe Shizuku was just too tired to argue, so she just agreed to Natsume.

"Congratulations, Natsume-san." Haru said. "Another round?"

She was quick to say no.

"Ha-ha-ha." Natsume laughed. "Sasayan-kun. Now you treat me."

"You had someone help you."

"Yeah. But I won!"

"Should I treat the manager, too?" Sasayan said.

"Hahahaha." Haru laughed. "Sasayan's such a kid."

"Go take her out on a date."

"Not a date!" The two of them said in unison. They looked at each other after they said it. Sasayan looked down, but Natsume continued to speak. "Sasayan's just jealous."

"I'm not jealous." Sasayan said quietly. "What should I be jealous about?"

"I don't know." Natsume said. "Maybe the fact that I won?"

"Not." Sasayan said. "And if ever I was jealous, it's not because of that either." There was a weird silence after he said that. As if everyone in the room was figuring out what he just said.

Sasayan then stood up. For a moment all of them thought Sasayan was pissed off, but then when he raised his head, he sighed. He looked at Natsume. Then he grinned. "Fine. What do you want?"


	4. Wipe It Off

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>5<strong>

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><p>After the school festival, Natsume went to the back to wash her face. She had put face paint for her attire purposes during the festival and right now, she's thinking it might've been a bad idea. It stuck on her face as she tried to wipe it off with a towel. As she did so, it was as if she was pulling her features out.<p>

"Gaaah." She complained. "This sucks."

"Don't you mean, this 'stucks'?" She heard laughter not far away. She turned to her side and saw nothing. Her face was still covered by a towel. "Natsume-san?" The voice continued, but she didn't need to remove the towel to figure out that it was Sasayan standing somewhere, but she still did, anyway.

She looked at him crudely. He returned it with a stifled laugh.

She wanted to punch him, kick him or whatever for laughing at her, but he was a little far from where she as standing, and it would be weird to come at him to do just that. Nevertheless, she didn't know what he was laughing about, so she asked him. "What's so funny?"

"You." Sasayan paused to breathe in air. He must've lost some inside since he was busy laughing it all off. "I'm sorry. There's still some make up on your face."

"It's not make up!" Natsume argued, but she wiped at her face again.

"Face paint or whatever, but it's all over your face. It's like you're a clown or something."

"Sasayan-kun!" Natsume grunted. It was like she was almost angry. She was still just on the verge of being so.

"Sorry." Sasayan said. He was still laughing a bit, but he was trying his hardest not to, which he should be thankful for. If he continued to giggle at her predicament, he might've had a bath. "Is it really that hard to remove?"

"I don't know." Natsume said, her tone sarcastic. "If it was then you wouldn't have run into me here since I'd be already gone by then. Hmmp. You're just lucky you a wearing a cat nose that's veeery easy to remove."

"I don't think it's that-" Sasayan said, countering back her sentences.

"You try it, then." She cut him off. She was starting to think that walking over to Sasayan just to punch him would be worth it, after all.

But Sasayan's face was red. He looked at her and his mouth opened slightly. "Is Natsume-san asking me to wipe her face?" Sasayan almost laughed at the thought. "I don't wipe other people's faces, especially Natsume-san's."

"Wha-!" Natsume realized the wrongness of what she just said. "Stupid Sasayan! I didn't mean it that way! Stupid stupid!"

Sasayan laughed off again. "Sorry, Natsume-san. You just get flustered so easily all the time, its… It's…"

"What?" Natsume said, her eyes almost in flames.

Sasayan's face retreated to being red. "Nothing." He just said.

"Why is Sasayan-kun always making fun of me?" Natsume started to say. "Are you having fun doing this to me? If that's the case, then you're not very different from other-"

"I'm not like them." Sasayan stopped her before she can finish her sentence. "And it's not that, either." He looked at her, a bit embarrassed, but he kept his serious look on. "I may make fun of you sometimes, but I won't hurt you seriously." He returned to his usual face.

Natsume just realized that she had never seen Sasayan so serious before, until now, even though he was wearing cat ears and nose. That made her unable to talk. For a moment, she thought if the Sasayan in front of him was really the Sasayan she knew.

He walked closer towards her. She instinctively took a little step back. She was afraid Sasayan would do anything to her, even if the thought was really far-fetched.

His face was as shocked as her. "What?" He said. "I'm thirsty. What do you think I came here for?"

He cupped his hands and drank from the faucet. Natsume was a little shy upon her reaction. She kept quiet and listened to the sound of water splashing on the tiles.

When he was done, he looked up. "Sorry, for the last time." He said. "Ah, why are you all red?"

"Sh-shut up." Natsume said.

Sasayan grinned.

"Hey, Natsume-san?" He said.

"What?" Natsume managed to talk.

"Aren't you going to wipe the rest of that make up?"

She wailed. And here she thought he would already act serious. "That's it." She stretched the cat nose Sasayan was wearing, the string almost about to break off. He can see the horror in Sasayan's face as she did so, begging her not to do it. She released it from a desirable length and poor Sasayan winced in pain as it hit his nose. He rubbed the area after he yelled. "Not fair, Natsume-san. I didn't pick on you physically or anything."

"Ha-ha." She laughed sarcastically. "That's because I'm a girl. And you shouldn't hit a girl! Ha-ha."

"But seriously though." Sasayan continued speaking. He was still rubbing his nose. "Wipe it all off." He quickly turned around before Natsume could damage her nose again. "I'm really going now, so you don't have to be embarrassed while doing it."

Sasayan turned around because, one, he was starting to walk away. But before he was really out of her sight, he called her name once again.

Natsume looked at him, who was at the process of drowning her face with water again. "You should've let me took a picture of you before you washed it off."

"Why?!" Natsume thought he was starting to make fun of her once again, but he was already gone.

He turned left so that Natsume couldn't see her anymore. "Because you looked cute in it." And Natsume can no longer hear it.

Sasayan turned around because two, he can't look at her face while he's telling her she's cute…

Yet.


	5. Don't Mind Them

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

**A/N: Heey. Another Update. Yippee. Since this is going to be a long fic, kind of, I have to do it while I have time to. Anyways, I got the event that happened here in the anime, 9th episode. I just added something on their way to find Yoshida. Happy reading :) . Oh and it's already March 1st, Happy New Month. Haha. R/R :D**

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><p><strong>6<strong>

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><p>"Why are you looking at me like that?" Natsume was sipping on her coffee as she talked to the guy sitting in front of him. A lot of people would think that they are just any normal couple having a date, but Natsume and Sasayan aren't one of them.<p>

"Nothing." Sasayan said. He took a bite from his food. "There's a little something on your face."

Natsume quickly grabbed some napkin and wiped it all over her face. "Is it gone?"

"You don't have to wipe it all over you know. It was just a little coffee mark." Sasayan said. He grabbed his book from his side and started scanning through its pages. He sighed.

"Where are those two?" Natsume asked Sasayan.

"I don't know." He replied. "I guess Haru's off to some weird stuff again." As he spoke, he noticed Natsume was slowly hiding her face behind her textbook. Sasayan wasn't sure what she was doing. "Ah. What are you doing Natsume-san?"

Sasayan heard some girls talking. They were probably talking about Natsume, judging from Natsume's state. "Hey look." The girl said.

"Yeah, it's her." The other one said. Sasayan looked behind him and saw two mean girls watching the two of them eat. "Is that her boyfriend then?" He realized they were also talking about him.

"Really?" They continued to talk even if they were fully aware that Sasayan was watching them. "Is he helping her study?" Then they giggled.

"What's their problem?" Sasayan said, still holding his donut. He heard Natsume speak his name.

"Sa-Sasayan-kun…" She started. She put down the book in front of her face. "Sorry. Sorry sorry."

Sasayan wasn't sure what she was sorry about. From the situation going on, the one saying sorry should be the girls talking ill about her. "Natsume-san?" Sasayan said.

"This is all my fault." Natsume spoke. "Sorry." Her hands were resting on the table and it was trembling. She was almost crying.

"So like I said…" The girls continued. "She hasn't changed."

Natsume was really about to cry now.

They heard a familiar voice amidst the noise they've been hearing about them. It was Micchan's. "Oh, it's Natsume chan." He said. Sasayan looked up to see him smiling at her. "Didn't expect to run into you here. What are you doing?"

Sasayan and Natsume didn't answer. He leaned back and noticed the two girls who were looking weirdly at Natsume. He didn't know what was going on at first, so he smiled at them. The girls were frightened of his smile. They were thinking they'd be in trouble, so they scooted off.

"Hmm. What's up?" Micchan continued. But Natsume didn't answer, she just looked at him as if she'd forgotten how to speak. Sasayan saw how Natsume was looking at Micchan and concluded that she won't be speaking, so he answered for her.

"It's nothing, manager." He said. "Just some girls with their own problems. What brings the manager here?"

"Oh." Micchan said. "Yuuzan's in the center, and he's demanding for sweets. I had to buy something, so I stopped here to buy donuts."

"Is the manager having a party in the batting center?" Sasayan said gleefully, but of course he and Micchan knows he wasn't serious.

Micchan laughed. "I'll surely invite you guys if there's any party." Micchan said. "So, Natsume-chan." He faced Natsume. "Cheer up, okay?"

For the first time since Micchan came, Natsume spoke. "Yes. Tha-thanks." She looked down and went back to reading.

"I'm off, then." Micchan said. He waved his arms goodbye and soon he was out the door. Natsume and Sasayan was alone again. Sasayan stared at Natsume. He probably had a lot he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure if Natsume would answer it. Natsume noticed this, so she brushed him off.

"Where are they? It's getting pretty late." Natsume said instead to change the topic.

Sasayan grabbed his prone and punched in some numbers.

After putting it down, he spoke. "Haru's at the river or something." Sasayan took a sip from his drink. "Shall we go instead?"

It took a while for Natsume to answer. She nodded.

As they walked out of the store, they were still as silent as mimes. The sun was beginning to go down, and they both watched it in the distant horizon. For a moment, it stayed like this. Perhaps they both preferred it this way, but Sasayan wasn't the one to be too quiet.

"Natsume-san?" He spoke. "What was that about earlier?"

"Sasayan-kun…"

"If you don't want to tell me, it's okay." Sasayan said. "I'm not forcing you or anything."

Natsume smiled. "I guess that's why I love to spend more time in front of the computer than to actually hang out with people outside." She started. "They were my classmates in middle school. You probably know now, I'm not very good with girls either. That was sort of my everyday life then." She spoke as she walked, but not once did she try to look at Sasayan, who was walking behind her.

"You looked… so scared then." Sasayan spoke. "Your hands were trembling."

"I know." Natsume said. "I shouldn't be afraid of them anymore, I guess. But…"

"Natsume-san." Sasayan spoke. He turned towards the setting sun. "You don't have to worry about them anymore. You have new friends now, and these friends won't do that to you." When he looked ahead, he almost bumped into Natsume, who suddenly stopped walking. From behind, Sasayan wasn't sure what happened. Was she crying? Was she just tired?

She turned around, and when she did, Sasayan was a bit close to her, considering he almost bumped into her back. And with Sasayan short in stature, they were almost eye level.

It was probably the first time she saw Sasayan blush. She didn't know if she was blushing too, but she hoped she wasn't. The two of them quickly took a step back at the same time, as if they were rehearsing a dance or something. Sasayan looked away but his face still had a tint of red. "You can trust us on that. So… don't cry now." Sasayan spoke, hoping it would ease off his weird feeling.

"Sa-sayan-kun." She said, holding back some tears. "Thank you."

"Yeah. You should be thankful the manager was there." Sasayan spoke, he still can't look at her. It was as if he was embarrassed, which was true. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything, I just looked at you as you almost-"

"That's okay." Natsume said.

"Sorry."

Natsume wiped her eyes. "Look at that sunset, Sasayan-kun. Isn't it nice?" She was now smiling, and her finger was pointed to the sun now retreating behind the hills. The sky was a mixture of orange and dark blue, as if they were fighting over who would cover the earth below.

"Yeah." Sasayan agreed. "It is."

"We should go see Haru now."

"Of course." Sasayan said. Natsume resumed walking and he followed behind. He wondered why his face still felt warm even now. As he walked behind her, he realized Natsume wasn't at all what he thought she was.

She was more than what he thought of her, and maybe that's why his face was still red.

"Natsume-san?" He called to her, unintentionally. That's why when she turned around, Sasayan stopped on his heels.

"What is it?" She said.

"Sasayan-kun?" She continued since Sasayan didn't answer.

"No-nothing." He lied. "We should probably hurry now."

"Yeah." Natsume said. "Why didn't you bring your bike anyway?" She talked and talked. She told him that if he did, then they wouldn't have to walk this far. That they'd be saving a lot of time and energy.

But Sasayan was only half-listening. The words in his head were much louder. It was words he would've told her if he hadn't lied. Words that would probably make her mad. Words that he should be half-thankful he didn't say out loud.

He wanted to tell her…


	6. Teach Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>7<strong>

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><p>It is one of Sasayan's favorite places, Micchan's batting centre. They usually hang around there with his baseball pals whenever they want to have some fun, and of course, practice altogether. But ever since he became friends with Haru, Mitty, and Natsume, he didn't just come there to swing some bats.<p>

He came there to study, to meet up, and to hold parties with them. But that doesn't mean he doesn't come there to practice anymore. He has plenty of time to do that, considering Mitty and Haru would always arrive minutes or even an hour after their planned meet-up time. He wants to be alone at times, but it can't be helped that Natsume is early too.

Occasionally, her hands would be clawed on the metal cages, her eyes peered at Sasayan. She would shout calls of confidence and admiration to him as if he was on a real game, but there's no enemy. Sometimes, she would just sit at the couch and type notes on her phone as she waited for Shizuku and Haru to arrive. Sasayan had noticed that she did this whenever she's eager to learn some lessons.

This particular day, she was bringing her notebook and her pen, sure enough for studying. But there she was, looking through the diamond-shaped holes as Sasayan swung a home run. The occasional whirring of the ball-spitting machine was all that was heard for a moment, but it stopped. The sound didn't mix with Natsume's giddy voice, and Sasayan took a peek at her.

Well, it's not like he wanted her to, but…

"Hey, Natsume-san?" He swang his bat down and pointed it at Natsume, as if he was about to shoot her or something. Natsume took a step back, though the bat was inches away and she was practically shielded by the cage.

"Yeah?" She said, wondering what he was about to tell her.

"Aren't you supposed to be there? In the couch?" Sasayan swang the bat on and on as if he was hitting a real ball. But he only did this so he wouldn't have to look at her.

"Yeah. Maybe I should." She answered. "Wait, how'd you know anyway?"

"Nothing…" Sasayan said. "After a while, I'd.. I'd… Just forget it. The point is-"

"Why do you have to know anyway?" Natsume replied. "Or are you unused to me not cheering for you here?"

Sasayan repressed a laugh. "If I did, what would that make me? That's silly. It's just I think you're not the type who would go off in your usual schedule. Or am I wrong?"

Natsume smiled. "I didn't think Sasayan-kun would be this observant." Natsume remarked.

Sasayan looked up to hide his face. "They're little things." Sasayan said. "Noticing those things helps you know, especially since the ball in baseball is...literally quite small." He looked at her. "Little things could mean a lot, don't you think?"

"You're not your usual self." Natsume said.

"And you too." Sasayan said. "But I can truly be serious at times, you know."

"I noticed." Natsume said. She remembered the time after their school festival, when she witnessed him being serious for the first time. Perhaps she didn't have much time witnessing his baseball games. Those things would require a serious attention, and a serious face at that, too. She remembered she never really saw one of his games at all.

Natsume stepped closer to the cage and she held it. Sasayan walked towards her, and at that point the only thing that separated them was a knot of metal strings. "Sasayan-kun." She spoke. Her voice was a little too soft, like she just ran out of air. "Have you ever… liked someone?"

Sasayan bobbed his head to his side. He was so bewildered by her question that he can't help but do so. "Why are you asking me this time? Well, if you want to know… then, yeah. I liked someone, it's only natural, I think."

Natsume's eyes lit up. "Really? Who is she? Do I know her?"

Sasayan rubbed the back of his head. "Well, ah. You don't. She's an old classmate of mine."

"Oh?" Natsume said. "Do you still like her then?"

"I… I don't, anymore. I don't see her anymore, and we don't have a chance to meet up again, or anything."

"Oh." Natsume said, but this time, it didn't sound as if she couldn't believe it. "Do you like someone now, then?"

Sasayan rubbed his head more. "It's… I don't know, Natsume-san. I guess I do? It's kind of complicated. Why are you asking me this, anyway?"

He asked her, but she didn't answer. Instead, she asked him a question himself, as if she was the one all confused. "Why are you unsure?"

"Because…" Sasayan didn't know how to answer it. Well, if she wanted him to tell the truth, Sasayan wasn't really sure if she's be glad about it. "Because… I guess I don't want to think of that, for now."

"Oh, I see." Natsume said. "Well, I guess it's pretty normal to be confused? I mean, you are too, aren't you, Sasayan-kun?"

"Uh. Yeah." Sasayan agreed. "Why? Do you like someone?"

"I'm not sure myself too." Natsume admitted.

"We're in the same boat, then." Sasayan said. There's this tinge of interest he suddenly felt. Usually, he wasn't the type who would bombard people with questions just to bring out something within them, but this time, he so wanted to know who she was talking about.

Not to other people. But to Natsume, the way he would normally look and treat other people seemed different towards her, though he doesn't show it very well. He wanter to ask her, but he didn't.

He realized they were standing there, not talking to each other for seconds. So he took a step back and swung the bat towards Natsume again. "Okay, then." He stated. "If you don't want to sit and wait in the couch, then how about I teach you some basics."

"I-I'm not really sure. I'm not good with baseball."

"That's silly." Sasayan said, keeping the hype up. "Come on."

"Well, I wanted to try at least one swing." Natsume admitted.

Sasayan smiled. "Well, then come on in. This is a batting center, right?"

Natsume stood by the entrance. Sasayan nodded at her, she stepped inside. Sasayan handed her one of the bats and he swang his own back.

Back and forth. Back and forth. Natsume watched as he did, and listened as he talked. She imitated him, and he cheered on him as she did. It took a lot of time for her to adjust the weight of the bat.

"Sasayan-kun may be short, but he sure is strong." Natsume said.

Sasayan didn't know how to react to what she just said. "Was that a compliment… or-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence. Natsume swung her bat too hard that she almost lost control of it. It almost hit Sasayan squarely in the face if he continued talking and didn't dodge it.

"Sorry, Sasayan-kun!" Natsume said.

"Be careful next time." Sasayan said. "Come on, let's see you hit the real thing."

"I don't think I can." Natsume slumped lazily.

Shoot.

The first ball came and Natsume almost got hit in the face. "Wha? I didn't think that it'd be that quick. Sasayan-kun! Slow it down!" She wailed.

"Just try to focus. I'm sure you can hit at least one."

"Sasayan's underestimating me." Natsume said, as if she wasn't afraid of the ball just then. The next one came and it she was thankful it hit her bat, not her face.

But she didn't swing.

Sasayan laughed.

"Don't laugh!" Natsume squealed. The next ball came and she hit it. The first time she swung and she already hit it. She screamed in glee, almost jumping up and down. It made Sasayan stop laughing and start smiling. Natsume turned around and stuck her tongue out to him as if she was a little kid. "Take that, Sasayan-kun." He heard her say.

"Natsume-chan?" They both heard the manager call her name. It stopped Natsume's mini celebration and she turned shyly towards him.

"Your phone's ringing." He continued. Natsume hurriedly put the bat down and went out of the cage. "I'd beat you next time, Sasayan-kun." She said right before she went out. Sasayan saw her putting her phone on her ear. She screams "Mitty" as she did.

But he noticed the way she almost froze when she heard Micchan say her name, the way she was thinking whether it'd be a good idea to look at him or not.

It must've been obvious.

"You like someone, huh?" Sasayan let out a deep breath.

He sat there for a while, wondering that the reason they came there was to study, but there's still no studying done after all that time.

He saw Natsume walk towards his direction. "Up for round two?" He spoke.

But she just smiled. "Nah. Thanks for that." She said. "One hit's enough for me."

She stopped talking but she continued to look at him.

"What?" Sasayan said as soon as he noticed this.

"It's just… you really are kind of different to those other guys."

"Why is that?" Sasayan asked her.

"Well, it's just. Most guys I see, when they start teaching girls to hold rackets or anything, they'd do so by using one equipment only, so they can have an excuse so they can hold their hands." She started executing it and her face grew a mocking scorn.

"Uh-" Sasayan can only manage to say. He wanted to tell her that not exactly all guys who does that thinks of it as an excuse so they can hold the other's hand, but he thought it was pointless to argue with her. Besides, he knows she had a wrong view on some guys. Guys like him.

"Keep at it." She said. They heard the door open and Sasayan was left there looking at her as she ran towards the entrance to tackle Mitty.


	7. Good Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari No Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>8<strong>

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><p>The crackling sound was much louder than the words she'd been reading. Between chips and math, her stomach would achieve more than her head. She wonders maybe this is why she couldn't remember her notes. Maybe the food she eats blocks out all knowledge.<p>

Ridiculous.

She's ridiculous.

She looked at her side and almost giggled at the sight of Sasayan. His pencil must have suffered enough already. Fortunately, he didn't chew on it; his eyes were glued down on the same book she had been fussing over for who knows how many hours now. He really must've had it hard. Last time she checked on him, he was doing the same position, and that was before she brought out the chips.

His hands were still making that galloping sound as each of his fingers hit the tabletop. She reckons he's sleepy, his eyes forget to keep open sometimes, she notices. She yawns. And for the first time ever, he kept his eyes off of the book. He looks at her from across the table. He speaks, it sounds kind of different. Or maybe for a moment she just forgot how his voice sounded like. They hadn't been talking for the whole duration.

"You should sleep." He says, as if he wasn't sleepy himself. He means it, but the girl looks at him as if he didn't. It troubles him sometimes. The way she'd look at him suspiciously just after he says something concerning about her. He sometimes thinks Natsume doesn't believe in him on some of the things he said.

But then again, there wouldn't be much difference if she did.

"I see you're sleepy too, Sasayan-kun." Natsume says as she rubbed her eyes. "It's not like I don't see it."

She heard him sigh. He must've thought she was annoying sometimes. But it was Sasayan, and it never really bothers her that much if she gives off that kind of aura to him. Besides, he does that to her too.

But she admits, it's more of a reflection than an act of natural rudeness. Maybe he's only _that_ to her because she's like _that_ to him. It's because she noticed, out of all the people she observed as Sasayan's friends, she's the only one who thinks he's hard to stand sometimes.

Well, maybe it's because she hangs out with him more than those people who just wave at him in hallways and neighboring classrooms and during his games.

Like today.

It would've been more fortunate if she got paired up with Shizuku and Sasayan, to Haru. At least in each team, there'd be someone who'd actually not have a hard time doing all this… stuff. This review and papers stuff.

She brought out her laptop and she started typing like one of those people who does so in typewriters. She knows nothing good would ever come with her abandoning her paper for like, five minutes. But she believes nothing good would come if she didn't too anyway. Her head was spinning, like she couldn't take another word in again. Sure, she's sleepy, but she wouldn't do as to lie down on a futon and let Sasayan do all the work. She may be a bit lazy when it comes to this, but she won't have to do all that all the time.

"We're almost done, as you can see. So there's no need to worry. You should really sleep now." He said it and he means it. But Natsume can be stubborn. Very stubborn, and it makes his eye twitch at times.

He stood up and stretched his arms. He noticed the time. It was halfway to two in the morning already, and everything was quiet except for that sound Natsume's laptop would make as her fingers land on each pad. The fact that he wasn't at home at this time already bothers him a bit. He's not scared, but he doesn't go wandering around town at these times of the night.

"Natsume-san, I'll go make some drink. What do you want?" His eyes landed on her. Hers remained glued at her screen. "Nat-su-me-san." He said, pronouncing each syllable carefully. He waved his arms in front of her face and he hears her stutter.

"Wha-what is It, Sasayan-kun?" She says.

He contorted his mouth to his side. "I said." He sighed before finishing his sentence. "What do you want?"

"Chocolate." She said.

Then it hit her.

"Ah Sasayan-kun." The feeling of discomfort made her do just that. She can't have a visitor serving her drinks. That's not normal.

She insists not to, but he insists he's thirsty.

"Fine." She gives up.

He smiles.

"But I should help you."

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><p>They huffed up in the kitchen, they would yawn occasionally, but they reminded themselves they still have something to finish. "Where's the sugar, Natsume-san?" He asked and she'd answer. The quiet night was filled with the sound of spoons and cups banging. Very early in the morning, these things could sound like bombs.<p>

They sat as they drank, and they didn't talk. It was is if they were back doing their work, but there weren't any papers between them, just cups. "Sasayan-kun…" She began to speak. "Sorry… It's very late tonight and you still hasn't come home."

He huffed. "It's alright. I've told my mom already." He says. He sips on his cocoa, but it didn't help cease his drowsiness a bit. He believes it's the same to Natsume's. "But that's why we should finish it already."

She nodded in approval. She wouldn't have been comfortable with boys coming over at her house, and having drinks with them in her kitchen table, but she had no choice. Besides, Sasayan is just a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Are you still sleepy?" He talks to her as he finished his cup.

"Yeah." She answered. "Chocolate doesn't work. This sucks."

Sasayan smiled. He takes her cup as he walks over to the sink. She moves it away, but she loses. "Do your part, over there." He says, just to make her feel like she wouldn't stand any chance against him. "I've been doing the writing lately, it's your turn." He says. He feels her hand as he takes her cup along with him. She stares at him and she sticks out her tongue.

She stood up and did as what she was told. Sasayan didn't move until he saw her handle the pen. She stares at the paper for a while then rubs her head in frustration. Her head lands on the table. He laughs.

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><p>As soon as he finished washing, he went back to sit with her across the tangle of unarranged articles. He rests his chin on his hand and watches her for a while. He sees how she wrote and then goes back to her laptop screen again. He laughs and she'd look at him.<p>

His face would go red as he noticed he did nothing but watch her the entire time.

She hands the papers to him and they were on their final page. "Yosh." He says. "We're almost done."

She smiled as she nods. It was his turn to grip on that pen, and etch some marks on that paper. She turns off her laptop. As she closed it down, she looked at him.

The way his face would contort when he'd confuse himself in which word would be better off used. When he makes that frustrated sound as he makes a mistake and almost tears the paper up. She remembered what he told her.

"_Little things could mean a lot, don't you think?"_

She feels her eyes close and she rests her head on the table.

Sasayan raised his hands in glee as soon as he was done. "Yeah!" He almost forgot it's two in the morning and that everyone in the neighborhood except them are already sleeping. He turned his attention towards Natsume and he stops grinning as he saw her mess of brown hair cover her face.

He shakes her shoulders, she'd look up, dazed. "Is is finished.. Sasayan-kun?" She says. He answered with a grin. She smiles back. "Finally." She says. "Yehey!" She tries to be as cheerful, but she was tired.

Sasayan could only laugh at her. "I guess I'm going now." She hears him say. "Natsume-san? Is it alright if you keep them and bring them tomo-"

"Sasayan-kun." She said. "You're not thinking of going home this late, aren't you?" He must've been betting than her alarm clock at keeping her awake. She stood up.

"Uh. Yeah." He said, admittedly.

"But…" She says. He can see she's concerned, and he smiles internally.

"Don't worry, Natsume-san." He reassures her. "I'm a boy. Nothing bad's gonna happen out there."

"No." She said. She herself feels surprised about saying that. He raised his brows. "I mean, no. You can…."

She looks away. She can feel her face redden. "You can sleep here, for now." She instantly turns to him despite the fact that she was throwing a fit of embarrassment, though there's nothing to be embarrassed about.

"It's not that you're someone really special okay? I mean, you are but.. You get the point. It's just that I feel like I've been giving you lots of things to carry, letting you here stay this very late, and blogging when I should be writing… So.. I shouldn't kick you out now." She pauses. "And it's cold." She stops, finally, and she breathes in hard.

He laughed. How he laughs at times he shouldn't.

"What are you laughing about?" She says.

"You.. you're like my mom or something. I think you even outshine her at this point." He jokes, but it only brings her to look down. "Fine." He said. "I'll stay just because you're very 'concerned' about me." He teases her.

"Shut up." She said. "Or I'll change my mind."

He walks closer towards her and puts his hand on her head, as if he was some sort of a really tall person. "Like you would. So… can I sleep on the couch now?"

"I'll get some blankets." She runs off to her room.

He nods and waits. She comes back with one.

She watches as he fixes the couch and lies down. Sasayan notices her, just standing, watching at him. "Go to sleep." He says, like a father.

She does so. Before she can close the door to her bedroom, he calls her name.

She turns around. "Goodnight, Natsume-san." He smiled, and he shuffled as he lied, then finally turned his back on her.

"Goodnight." She replies, a little too soft. She wasn't sure if he heard it. It's just she wasn't used to it. It's the first time that a friend had said "Good night" to her, mostly it would be just parents who did that. She can't recall a time in middle school that her friends told her that. Even right now, Mitty wasn't the type who would text "Good Night" right before she sleeps. So is Haru.

But at least she got one from Sasayan.


	8. It Wasn't That Cold, For Some Reasons

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari No Kibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>9<strong>

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><p>Christmas comes and a group of high school students are having their party at a batting center. The place which used to be so bare of decorations was now dressed with multicolored balls and bright Christmas lights. Micchan's wearing a santa hat, and Natsume wears some kind of black robe and a sinister mask, but apart from those two, the others weren't really feeling the need to.<p>

The door opens and in comes Sasayan in his usual Syoyo high jacket. On his side, a girl with black hair and glasses stood shyly. Their faces would've been excited, but then the first thing they get to see as they passed through the sliding doors is a bunch of guys arguing about reindeers and fairies, and Natsume yelling at them not to touch the cake. No one listened to her, but everybody looked at the new comers.

"The opposite of classy." Sasayan says.

"Who are these people?" Ooshima says shyly, her eyes drifted to the group of boys she wasn't familiar with. Both their faces were too stunned and disappointed at the same time.

"Hey kids, keep it down." The manager says at the back.

Beyond the ruckus, Haru stands up. His face was like the usual. "Oh, Ooshima." He mentions the girl. Yamaken's friends stood up after him and they all crowded over her.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Sasayan asks Natsume as soon as she held Ooshima's hand, thankful that she came. Sasayan likes to think she should thank him too. He's the one who invited her, after all.

"The plan was for me to bring in the cake." She answers. "But they ate it already." Natsume goes to grab the food, carrying it as she sloppily walked. "I'm gonna cut the cake." She says, though she wasn't really enthusiastic about it. Who wants to cut a cake that's already been eaten, anyway? She passes by Micchan, and he speaks to her as she did.

"Oh, time to cut the cake? Want any help?" He smiles at her.

"I-it's okay." She says, then continues to walk by him.

"I think she's avoiding me." Micchan says. Sasayan heard him, and he remembered the time when he and Natsume were in the donut shop and a bunch of girls started talking about Natsume. The manager had come to ward them off, though that wasn't really the purpose of him coming there. Sasayan thinks he didn't understand what was going on at that time. But Natsume was so scared at that time, and as Micchan came, she must've been really thankful for him. He remembered the way Natsume looked at him. He'd never seen Natsume look at anyone like that. Now, Sasayan studied the manager. His eyes are a little too keen, if anybody notices.

Can't blame her for falling so hard. He thinks to himself. Even I thought he was kinda cool.

He stood up straight and put both his arms behind his head. "It's not fair." He starts to talk. Micchan looks at him, wondering what he might be talking about. "Feels like I lost." He said. He slumps forward. "Not that it matters."

He starts to walk away. If anybody's been listening to him, they wouldn't have understood what he meant. In that sea of people, only Sasayan knows his declaration of defeat.

Or so he thinks.

Micchan looks at him as if he figured something out.

* * *

><p>The party wasn't really that grand. Just that kind of celebration you would have if you hang out with your friends. And as soon as it ends, you'll realize how tired you are. But you don't regret it since you've had a fun time. It was already late when they decided to go home. The stars were perfect above, the night was quiet, and the wind brushed coldness as it hit their skin.<p>

Sasayan held his bike on his hands as he focused his eyes on the girl beside him. She looks down, clearly embarrased. They walked quietly, feeling the cold chill escape from their mouths as they breathed.

"Quite the party we had, huh." Sasayan opens a small talk.

"Yeah." Natsume could only agree. Though she must admit it wasn't the kind of party she would've expected. From the point when they ate that cake, she realized she wouldn't have the kind of party she planned. Well, it was still fun.

"Seriously, Natsume-san." Sasayan talks to her. He can feel her shiver as she held onto her scarf. "You knew this was gonna be a cold night."

"I know." She says. "I just got so caught up with the celebration, I was more excited to put on my costume than my scarf, or my jacket."

She pouts and hates how Sasayan always lectures him like a little kid. It's not like he was wrong, either. It's just the way she always ends up with him on these kinds of situations is getting on her. She touches the scarf Sasayan lent to her. She feels humiliated about it all over again. She just let a boy make her wear a thing he owns. A boy! And it's Sasayan-kun's too…

"You don't have to feel embarrassed, you know." Sasayan says, as if he can read her mind. "Everyone forgets things once in a while." He looked behind, where Natsume was just now following behind.

_Your pace changes when your embarassed, huh. Too obvious._

"And don't worry, I'm wearing my jacket, see." He grins.

She just wants to punch that grin off his face sometimes. He always does that when she feels the need not to. When she doesn't have anything to say, he grins at her, and it makes her stay quiet more. She didn't reply. It made Sasayan wonder what's wrong, but as usual, he doesn't show it. Instead, he continues to talk.

"You should say something, Natsume-san." He does so as he looks up the sky. "I don't like it that I'm the only one doing all the talking."

"Sorry." She finally says. Sasayan smiles.

"We should probably ride on my bike now. At this rate, we'd be coming home very late."

"No." Natsume says. It almost made Sasayan stop and look at her. "I mean, you don't have to do that again, Sasayan-kun. It's.."

"It's okay." Sasayan says. "Really. It feels lonely... going hoome alone sometimes too."

"No." She denies.

"Seriously, you're like a little kid." He turns his eyes on her. "A stubborn kid."

She pouts. "I'll just walk."

"Alone?" Sasayan wanted to slow his pace too so he'll be in sync with hers, but he didn't. Instead he just put his hands in his jacket pocket.

"Yeah." She replies, not hesitating. It makes some part of him twitch, or something like that. It took a while before he answers.

Actually, he hates it how she does that. She says something, and it's something he's not expecting. He doesn't know why he doesn't argue with her at things like this, he just lets it pass.

"O-okay." He says. "I'll-I'll just walk too."

She breathes out a lot of air, but she didn't say anything. She must've realized there's no point on getting away with him at this time. It takes just a little turn of Sasayan's head to see her do that.

* * *

><p>Sasayan wonders how she can handle walking with anyone without feeling the need to talk to them. She's so quiet that Sasayan can't help but look back and see if she was still there. Whenever he does so, she looks back at him. And her face is red because of the cold. He asks if she's alright. She says she is.<p>

He must've asked her about two times.

* * *

><p>Sasayan stops as soon as they pass a vending machine. She does so, too, but she wonders what's the matter.<p>

"What is it?" She asks him.

"Chocolate, or coffee?" He asks her.

"Chocolate." She says quietly. He snaps his hand and points at her as he talks. "Got it." He kicked the stand of his bike and lets it rest on its own. He runs towards the machine. Natsume watched him as he took out his money and puts it in the slot. For some reason, she feels like she owes a lot of things to him. He treats him drinks like this, and she does nothing to pay him back.

It's not like she's asking him to do it for her, anyway.

He turns to her. "Catch." He says. He tosses the can, not a little too hard. She would've dropped it, but he was good at throwing. He was a baseball player, after all. He drinks from his own and grins at her as he put the can down.

She laughs at him when he did.

A bit of brown liquid stuck on the side of his mouth. He shyly wipes them off.

* * *

><p>As soon as she reached their house, she let out a breath. The cloud of smoke escaped from her mouth as she did. She heard him talk.<p>

"That's it for now."

She turns to his side. "Thanks. Sasayan-kun." She bows in front of him, but he laughs.

"No need to be so formal." He hopped on in his bike and salutes her. "So, I'd be going off now." She watched as he pedaled off.

Second time.

It was the second time he walked with her home already, and at both times, she didn't ask for him to do it. If only he didn't see her shivering as she hugged her chest after they went out of the batting center. But Sasayan's a pushy guy.

She holds the piece of garment around her neck and almost freezes at the thought of it. "Stupid Sasayan-kun." She says.

She walks to their porch and walks inside; the smell of Sasayan lingers on her nose.


	9. Don't Tell Me Things About Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>10<strong>

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><p>It's a stupid thing that Sasayan knows it more than Natsume, when she's the one who feels it.<p>

Maybe she's just confused about it. Maybe she doesn't want to believe it. Maybe she feels she's wrong, either way she couldn't realize it herself. For Natsume, falling in love to anyone wasn't part of her to-experience list.

She had watched a lot of boys' hearts break because of her ignorance to this little "love" they so eagerly confess to her. Because of that, she may have wandered away from it. Well, that's because, she never really felt it before. That's why when the fine arrows of cupid finally hit her, she can't even differentiate them from what's real and what's not.

Sheesh. Why did he have to make her realize it, anyway?

She enters the batting center, her feet a little too slow. Or perhaps she just doesn't want to see Micchan. Starting from that day when she felt some sort of romantic feeling for him, she kinds of gets every opportunity of trying to avoid him.

But stupid Sasayan is such a kid that hangs out in Micchan's place like every chance he gets. Well, he and his pals. Mitty or Haru wasn't with her as she came in, that's why the manager was a bit surprised when he saw her. "Oh, Natsume-chan? What brings you here today?"

She immediately feels her face go red. She looks away from him, partly covering her face with the paper bag she was holding. The paper bag she would give to Sasayan.

"Sa-sasayan-kun." She timidly says.

The manager leads her to the batting cages, and she feels the need to get out as she saw the number of boys hanging out in that single room. She didn't like the feeling of being the only girl in one place. She didn't like the way the boys look at her. What's with them, anyway? Haven't they seen a girl before?

Sasayan smiles as soon as he saw her. "Sorry for making you come out here."

"No, it's okay." Natsume replies. "I should've returned this sooner."

_I can be normal around Sasayan-kun. _She thinks to himself. And that was indeed true. Sasayan was one of those people who she can act normally with. She can be herself, and she never have to be embarrassed. She can even argue the most with him. Besides, he already saw how she would act if there are other boys around, or even other girls from her past.

She hears a lot of talking from Sasayan's back. She wonders what it was all about, and she almost wants to leave. She saw one of Sasayan's friends being pushed towards where they were standing. He almost falls down on his face, but he wouldn't embarrass herself in front of a girl he likes.

"Natsume-san." He talks as if he knows her well. Well, he doesn't. Because if he did, he wouldn't do something as to confess to her about how he feels.

"He wants to talk to you." Another guy from the back calls, then a chorus of laughter. She hated it, that annoying sound they were making. What's so funny about it, anyway? Was is really that fun to have someone stutter before her?

"Idiot!" The boy turns to his friends, then she went back to Natsume. "Sorry about that, Natsume-san." He says shyly.

"Do you need something?" Natsume spoke in a voice obviously different from the one she uses to talk to Sasayan, or Haru. Everybody in the room can feel the coldness it delivered.

The guy was too stunned to speak. Maybe even a bit frightened. But the boys at the back continued to laugh. As is they were watching a comedy show in which she was a part of, an actress in their little play.

Well, she doesn't like it. She doesn't like their "play" and how they play along with it.

"If you don't need anything, I'm leaving." She turns around and leaves everyone in the room quiet.

But Sasayan follows her. Before she can leave the building, as she went down the staircase feeling some sort of annoyance inside, she heard her name being called. "Sorry, they didn't mean any harm." He starts to talk. "They apologized, too. So can't you forgive them?"

"I hate it when that happens." Sasayan can't see her face, since she didn't turn around when he came. "This is why I hate boys. All they care about is their own fun. Doesn't matter to them if I end up shunned by the other girls."

"What?" Sasayan says. He knows Natsume doesn't like it when it comes to that, but it wasn't entirely his friends' fault too. When she gets shunned, that has nothing to do with the boys anymore. "Isn't it your own fault for letting it get to that point?" He says frankly.

"See?" She says. She finally turns around and show her face to Sasayan. "You're just like the rest of them. You underestimate female friendship." She then starts to talk about how wonderful friendship between girls are and Sasayan wonders how she got to that point.

"What's wrong with that Shimoyanagi-kun?" She continues after she gave that speech of female camaraderie. "He kept smiling like a fool. How stupid is he?"

"Yana didn't do anything wrong." Sasayan says.

It hit her.

God, how she hates how Sasayan is always right and she's wrong when it comes to their arguments. She hates how she always loses, and it seems like everything else in the entire world is on his side.

"You're right." She admits. She loosened her grip on the umbrella she was holding. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was just a little irritated. Mitty's busy with her class, and Haru-kun's been in a bad mood. Plus, I'm having trouble talking to Micchan-san…"

"Huh?" Sasayan says. "Isn't that because you're in love with him?"

For a moment she just stares at him as if he didn't say anything wrong. But then his words hit her hard. She dwells on the thought if what Sasayan said was really true. Perhaps it was, and her face started to go really red as she thought of the probability. Her mouth saying "What-" in loops.

"What are you talking about, Sasayan-kun?!" She almost screams. "That's not possible."

"You're not? But if you can't even speak normally around him…"

"You've got it all wrong!"

"Well, I've never been in love, so I wouldn't know..." He tells her.

"I'm never going to fall in love with a man." She continues to debate.

"Why not?" Sasayan says. "I don't see a problem. It's perfectly natural."

"You're wrong! You're wrong!" She argues. "You're absolutely wrong!"

"Yo." Haru suddenly appears out of nowhere. Natsume was too busy arguing with Sasayan that she didn't notice Haru arrive. "Watcha guys doing?" He was a little too happy.

His appearance made both Sasayan and Natsume stop.

"You look happy, Haru-kun." Natsume says.

Such was the end of her argument with Sasayan.

As soon as she was out of the center, out of Sasayan's presence, out of anybody's presence, she stomped hard on the floor.

"Gaaaah!" She screams. "Sasayan-kun Sasayan-kun I hate you!" She screams. She continues to stomp hard. Perhaps she was imagining she was stepping on him, or on her feelings, or Sasayan-kun.

"You stupid stupid shorty. I know that. You don't have to remind me." She stops to breathe in air. A lot of air. She starts to walk away, but then she remembers his stupid face and his stupid words. "You little-" She whines. She was lucky not a lot of people were around, she would've been taken to the hospital or the police if anybody saw her tantrums.

Eventually, she gets tired of it. But apparently, her thoughts weren't only clouded with Micchan, Sasayan swims through it too. "Why do you have to be the one who sees me at my worsts?"

She remembers the time at the donut shop, and this day when she acted coldly towards Shimoyanagi, everytime her face goes red, and all the things about herself she wouldn't have normally said to any boy. She kicked a post.

The door to the center opens and the boy she so wanted to beat off came out. She stared at him. "Don't say anything." She says before he can even talk or come any closer to her. Well, it's not like he have something to say, anyway.

Sasayan shrugs his shoulder, turns to his side, then starts to walk away. She grabbed an empty can of coke and threw it at him. "Rude." She said.

She was terrible at throwing, she wasn't like him. She didn't hit him, but she almost did. Well, a part of his ear.

"What is wrong with you?" Sasayan turns around, finally getting annoyed as well.

"I don't know." She calls from where she was standing. "Why don't you help me find out?"

"Oh sure, I will." He said sarcastically. "And when we do, I'll-"

He stopped because Natsume was starting to look really not like herself. "Natsume-san?"

She sniffed, but there were no tears. She sniffed, and she wanted to punch him.

_Why is it always you who would catch me at my worsts?_

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><p><strong>In the manga, it wasn't very clear on what exactly it was Natsume returned to Sasayan. So, in here, I just made my own kind of version. Either way, it doesn't change the story. Hope you guys like it. And yeah, reviews :D<strong>


	10. The First Sunrise of the Year

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari No Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>11<strong>

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><p>On that particular night, she sat alone in her room, facing that same sight she stares at every night. She sees the names of her friends, her online friends and watches them talk about their vacations, how fun their day was, how happy they are and whatnots. She's supposed to be as enthusiastic as these people, but tonight she wasn't feeling the spirit.<p>

In other words, she was bored. In her mind swirled a lot of things. Things she'd rather not think about. She grabs her phone and plays with it. Wow, she's bored.

She holds it by the charm and lets it dangle, waiting for some miracle to happen. The thing she may be waiting for showed itself through a sound. She almost dropped her phone when it rang. Nobody usually texts or calls her or anything, so she was eager to answer whoever was on the other side.

"Hello." She says, her voice hyped up from being almost unable to catch her phone.

"Oh, Natsume-san?" The voiced on the other side was Mitty's. "Sorry about calling you on New Year's Eve. Do you know how to program a TV recording? My little brother asked me to record the New Year's Special, but I can't find the instruction manual."

If Shizuku could see the look on Natsume's face on the other side, she'd witness an overjoyed girl wanting nothing more than to hug her to her death. Shizuku never calls her if it isn't about her study updates, so she was really happy when the circumstances changed. She was busy fussing over this that she never had time to reply to Mitty.

"Natsume-san? Can you hear me?" Shizuku says, it brought her back to her senses.

"Oh, you want to program a recording? I can help." She begins typing from her computer. "What brand is your machine?"

"Um." Shizuku tells the brand name and Natsume eagerly types it on her keyboard.

"Yep. That should do it." She says after giving instructions she found on the web.

"Got it." She says. "Thank you. Bye."

But she let out a little cry of frustration after Shizuku was about to put down her phone. "What is it?" Shizuku says additionally.

It took Natsume a little time before answering. All Shizuku heard were some sort of stiffled sobs. "I'm so lonelyyyyyy." She lets out, finally.

After that, Shizuku found her standing outside their door.

She calls Haru along with her, and they spent the night in Shizuku's house. She notices how close Mitty and Haru have become and she worries whatever would happen to her if they became a couple. Haru just told her that there's no reason for her to be so lonely, she can just drop by anytime… But she thinks…

"I'm sorry Haru." She says as she wiped the table for their dinner. "I have to focus on protecting my little world."

She considers it a lot. The friendship she had with them. It's not very easy for anyone who's in Natsume's shoes to do that, so it's natural for her to think of protecting that little world she tried so hard to achieve.

They all fell asleep. It's New Year's eve, and the three of them were hunched up on the floor, probably having fun in their dreams. They awoke, however, when Natsume's phone rang. She sits up lazily, rubbing her eyes before putting it on her ear.

"Hey, Natsume-san?" The voice says. "Happy New Year!" He was too cheerful, and she was still adjusting her thoughts.

"Er, Sasayan-kun?" She replies.

"Oh. You were with Mizutani-san and Yoshida? Aren't you coming to the shrine? It's packed."

So they hurriedly went off.

The gang all met up in the shrine, eventually. Sasayan and his pals, Ooshima, even Yamaken and his group. They had a fun time. They drew up fortunes which none of them were happy to read about. Natsume didn't regret getting up. She should be thankful, even, that they woke up. If she didn't, they wouldn't have experienced it.

And they wouldn't be able to watch the sunrise all together, too. Even though in the end, she didn't get to see it, anyway.

At the manager's place, they met up. Natsume was flustered to go. After what Sasayan told her, it's a lot harder trying to talk to Micchan, or even just being around him. "Happy New Year." Shizuku told everyone when they arrived. Natsume seconded, but less energetic, and Shizuku wasn't energetic already.

They chose the roof of Micchan's batting center to be the perfect spot to watch the first sun of the year rise. The air was cool there, and though it was much colder too, it came with a great view of the city.

"Young people have so much energy." Micchan says, shivering. Sasayan and Shimoyanagi were laughing, and they took a glance at Natsume. When Yana and Natsume's eyes met, she immediately broke contact, and walked away.

"Does she hate my guts now?" He hopelessly asks Sasayan.

"Uh." Sasayan can only say.

Micchan continues to smoke. "You look unhappy, Natsume-chan."

Natsume freezes when she realized he was addressing her. "You hurt his feelings." He continues to say. "Boys that age are sensitive."

"You were watching, Micchan-san?" Natsume says.

"It's New Year, I'm happy that Haru brought friends. And I'm happy that I got to see you and Shizuku-chan. You could be a little nicer to him, right?" It was as if the manager was teaching her a lesson.

"I just didn't know how to act after being so mean to him last time." She admits.

_Hey. I don't have any trouble talking to him._ She just realized it.

"I hate boys!" She screams, not minding if everyone in that rooftop heard her. "And I really hate boys who try to hit on me!"

"Oh." Micchan says, keeping up with her enthusiasm. "That's harsh." He was probably joking. When the manager talks, it's like he doesn't mean it. He smiles too much. But at the same time he looks serious. "Most girls your age don't get to say stuff like that. Personally, I love girls." He began talking about what he truly feels.

"Do you want to fall in love?" Natsume timidly asks him.

"Fall in love?" Micchan says it as if he doesn't know it. He laughs. "Well, I've got all this debt right now." He pauses. "But love is good. It changes people, for better or worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of love helps you grow up."

Natsume processes what he just said.

"As long as I have Mitty, Haru-kun, and my other friends, I don't need anything else." She turns her back on him as she talks. "An eternal kingdom, where you always have fun and never get hurt."

"There's no such place." Micchan frankly tells her. "You know that."

There was a brief silence that enveloped them after that. She just looked at him, and down to his hands which were holding a cigar. "Then can you and I… grow up together?"

Micchan doesn't answer. It was hard to determine what he was feeling that time. He was wearing shades, and it blocked out the only part of our body where we can clearly see how a person truly feels. She didn't wait for an answer anyway, she slowly walks… away from him.

But what she didn't know, was that someone heard their conversation. Someone who was hiding at the corner, building up some kind of plan for his dear friend to be forgiven by the girl she was about to confess to.

Sasayan didn't know. That was a conversation he wasn't supposed to hear. But he did. He walks to Yana afterwards. "Sorry, Yana." He says. "My plan backfired."

On the other side, or those people who seemed not to feel the tension: Shizuku and Haru were both too excited to see the rising sun. However, they can't clearly see it. What they thought to be a place of the perfect view was a hoax. A great tall building loomed before them, blocking out the sun and all its wonders behind it.

Either way, they can all feel the glimpse of its beauty. They can still see a little part peek out behind the mountains. They all started talking about sunrises they've seen before. Sasayan was surprised to know that most of his friends considered that moment to be their first sunrise, whilst he watches it almost every year.

But something was missing. Someone was missing.

"I bet Natsume-san's never seen sunrise before." He looks around and noticed that the familiar brown hair wasn't with them. When his eyes landed on the roads below, he saw her.

She walked. She didn't even wait for the sun to rise, she just left. Without telling anyone. Not Mitty, or Haru, or Micchan. Not even him. Well, it's not like she tells him a lot of things concerning about her, anyway.

She didn't even mention his name when he heard her conversation with Micchan. Maybe he was part of the "other friends". Either way, he thinks it would be better if she'd seen this.

Natsume continues to walk, her eyes focused on the ground than on the path in front of her. She didn't even try looking back to see how her friends are all doing. See their faces as they watched the sun rise.

If she did, she would've seen Sasayan's face looking back at her.

And she'll realize that of the group of people keeping their eyes on the sun, he was the only one who kept his eye on her instead. She would've known that the only person who noticed her disappearance and tried to look for her was only him. Only Sasayan.

Perhaps she would've needed to reconsider more. That Sasayan called her twice, and that she was asleep during those times. That she woke up on his first call, opened her phone, but didn't check on who was calling her. Instead, she took a picture of Haru and Mitty lying, sleeping.

If she'd think about it, why would it be only her he'd be calling if he knows that Mitty and Haru were with her all the time? Did he try calling them instead after realizing she wasn't picking up her phone?

But of course, none of those things entered her thoughts at that moment.


	11. Stew or Curry

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari No Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>12<strong>

* * *

><p>"Hold on for a second." It was Micchan talking, and she was actually addressing to Natsume san. "Stop!" He held out his hands.<p>

"Ok." Natsume replies, but the glint in her eyes upon finally confessing to Micchan about what she truly feels about him were still evident. Micchan found it quite unNatsume-like. Well, Micchan and Sasayan. They were in the same room, after all, so Sasayan was aware of every word that came out of Natsume's mouth.

"Sorry, it worded so badly." Micchan adds.

"The-They were lies?" Natsume frantically asked for reassurance.

"No. They weren't lies. They weren't lies, but… I didn't intend for them to come out like that." Micchan was acting pretty unMicchan-like too, if it's Sasayan's opinion. "Sorry if I've caused some confusion. Really sorry."

"Then let me change my wording." Natsume says, trying to come up with better words on how to express her feelings. "I like you. Let me be your bride." She says haphazardly. Perhaps she didn't know the own words that's been going out of her mouth. If she did, she wouldn't have said any of the things she just said bluntly.

"What? Are you serious?" Micchan asks in a bit of frustration.

"Um, my bride." Natsume says again. "I wonder, if there's too much of a difference. If it's about the age gap, from now on, I'll become a grave digger."

"Huh?" MIcchan asks, the look on his face couldn't fail to show that he was confused. However, he realized that maybe Natsume was just so nervous. So nervous that very random things have been coming out of her mouth. Though one thing's sure. Even if everything she just told him were too unnatural to be coming from her, what she's telling is that she likes him, like like him.

"Natsume-chan." Micchan says, understanding a bit now. He stands straight and wears back his usual face. That face who looked calm, and gentle, and reassuring. "For me, it's something I can't accept. Sorry."

For a moment she looks at him as if she'd lost faith. But then she smiles. "I understand." She says. "Sorry, I didn't think about Micchan's circumstances. This must be sudden, I understand if you're shocked." She stops for a while and keeps her gleeful face. "I'm going to work hard since this day. Since this is only the beginning of our love!"

"I see…" Micchan tries to keep in level with her. "So this is just the beginning.?."

It seems like Natsume almost forgot that Sasayan was in that room too. And that he can hear their conversations, and that he's looking at her almost everytime, when she speaks, her reactions; he may be very good at faking about not caring about it.

When they left the center, Sasayan talks to her. "That was a bit unexpected." He looks at her, his face serious but questioning at the same time. "I thought when the manager rejected you, you'd be extremely depressed. But I do understand why you acted like that."

"Ahh. Don't talk about that embarrassing thing here." Natsume says as if the matter wasn't really that important. She's very good when it comes to this, Sasayan noticed. "But, Sasayan-kun, you noticed?"

"Of course, you could tell just by taking a look." He replies. _A deep and evaluating look._

"Since I haven't done anything yet, It'd be a waste if I just gave up now." Natsume looks so happy. Sasayan was probably looking at her more than the road ahead. "You know, this is my first time. With these feelings…" She looks at him and he almost falls back on his bike when she did, hopefully, she didn't notice.

Hopefully, the cold weather covered up the whole reason why his face is flushed.

"And with someone cheering me on. I didn't know, that being able to like someone… is so fun."

"Hmmm." Sasayan says, his face discerning, but he wasn't thinking of anything. "I get you. I'll cheer you on too."

"Thanks a lot." She says and turns at him with that smile he'd never seen before.

He almost falls for her.

He sits on his porch when he came home, his mind still thinking about what Natsume just said.

And he said he'd cheer her up, too.

Well, It's not like he's gonna lose something anyway. Not like he's gonna pursue on keeping that sort of bubble building up inside of him.

A few days after that incident, Natsume still hasn't given up on her love for Micchan. The band of friends have decided to go on a skiing trip. Natsume, eager to see Micchan again, keenly agreed. When she got there, however, she learned that Micchan won't be able to go.

She was bummed out, but she can't cancel her agreement now, can she? Besides, it's a perfect time to go on a trip and to bond with friends. She wasn't really that good at skiing though.

When they got there, like all excited and giddy people would usually do, they went to have fun first than to check the place where they'll be staying out. It was a great experience.

When they finally checked the place out, they were all delighted to see it. It was big, and it was warm there. Though when they went outside, the chilly air would surround them, and they'd think going out wouldn't be such a pretty thing to do, especially when you're alone.

There was a little spot in that villa which had a shelf of books. Unlike the others who excitedly checked their rooms out, Mitty chose that place instead.

And who was the other person who's almost the same with Mitty when it came to knowledge?

Yamaken stood with her there, tracing their fingers up on the spine of the books, occasionally pulling one out that caught their attention. Mitty picked out one, but most of its words where not of Japanese language. Yamaken studied her and noticed that her eyes were still scanning the words.

"You can read French?" Yamaken asked her.

"Just a bit." She answered, not looking at him. She must've been enjoying the book, and Yamaken may have been too busy looking at her when Haru appeared and shut it in an eye's blink. Obviously, he was starting to get annoyed with Yamaken getting too close with Shizuku.

But beyond those three, Natsume and Sasayan noticed the commotion. And as Natsume was the kind of girl she always is, she commented about what she just saw.

"He definitely likes Shizuku! I thought it was strange! He only gets in the way between Haru and Shizuku." She exclaimed when they were shopping for food on a convenience store nearby.

"Well. It's alright, isn't it?" Sasayan responded to what she just said, picking up chips on the stalls. "The person who decides is Mizutani after all."

"Sasayan kun! Who's side are you on?" Natsume hastily questioned Sasayan, wondering why he wasn't that affected on the way Yamaken was being suspiciously very close to Shizuku. Apart from their little conversation, the boys on the other stall were fighting over stew or curry.

"Well, I'm not on anyone's side." Sasayan said. "Aside from that, does Yoshida actually like Mizutani-san?"

"He loves her. Isn't that obvious?" Natsume quickly rebutted, wondering how unobservant Sasayan was.

She has no idea.

"I guess so… but," Sasayan continued to oppose Natsume. "But then I don't think he even thinks about her at all. If you think about the scene back then, Yoshida was the one getting in the way of the two of them." Sasayan continued to speak, he can be very frank, after all. "Instead of liking her, I think Yoshida is just obsessed with Mizutani-san."

Sasayan probably didn't notice how Natsume was reacting to all of this, so when she bursted out to him, he was a bit shocked at her. "You don't understand!" She told him. "Why are you pretending to be an adult? You don't understand at all! Since Sasayan-kun.. is always surrounded by people…"

"Does that have any relevance to what we're-"

But Natsume didn't let her continue. "There is! I hate it when you say this sort of thing!" She bursted out at him, which probably wasn't a very good idea. And that goes for the two of them. They didn't speak to each other on the way back, and when dinner was served…

"This is Sasayan-kun's serving." She spoke as she put down the plate in front of Sasayan, the serving less than what he was expecting. Sasayan looks back at her and flashed her an irritated face, which mirrored that of Natsume's. Ooshima noticed this.

"W-What's wrong with you and Natsume-san?" She asked when Natsume left.

"Who knows?" Sasayan ate on his little serving, so he don't have to be stressed about answering her. "Don't you think Natsume-san is like a brat?!" He spoke in between rapid intakes of curry stew.

They are always fighting, and probably both of them had noticed this. They just ignore it and think of it as a usual friend relationship. Sasayan haven't found someone so annoying, and impatient, and childish until he met her.

Natsume never met someone who irks her with every word they say against her, but then there was him.

They are two opposite poles, anyway. While Sasayan was the usual popular and social guy, Natsume was the stay-at-home-and-mingle-with-internet-friends type of person. While Sasayan never had trouble talking with anybody, Natsume suffers from the things that she encountered in the past, which led her to act cold towards boys and get bullied by other girls.

But at the end of the day, they were still friends. They would still think about each other, even if it mostly consists of their annoyance to the other.

And a fight they usually have is the type in which they avoid talking to each other and sneering whenever they pass by one another. A childish kind of thing.

And it just takes a little matter of time alone, a little moment that would fix that.

For others, some fights could only be resolved with long and understanding talks.

But for them, a little Natsume hunched up in a room and Sasayan, who finds her in this state, can be all it takes.

He looks at her to his surprise. What she was doing there, he has no idea. She scoffed at him as he looked at her, and he instinctively turns his head to his side.

Sasayan thought it was a bad idea going in there, and he should probably get out. Of course he would, he was about to, but there's something about her. About leaving her alone there, without asking her why she was sitting there, hugging her knees, all because of his pride. All because they fought.

"Wha-what are you doing here, Natsume-san?" Sasayan asks her, despite the grievous looks she was giving him.

"None of your business." She replies, though the arrogance of her voice wasn't in there, it was even more of a humble and timid sort of tone.

"You should go out there." Sasayan says. "They're opening up the chips."

"Maybe I should." She said, the irritation was starting to creep over on the way she was addressing him. Maybe she was just bothered that Sasayan talked to her, but he didn't even bring up the idea of saying sorry, or clearing their misunderstanding out.

She stands up from her position, and she was almost in level with him. She looks at him one last time before leaving, mustering all kinds of displeasure in her face, but it came out as something different instead. She looked as if she wanted something from him.

Before she can even walk away, Sasayan spoke. "Hey." He started. "Sorry, for earlier."

That's what she was waiting for, perhaps. She didn't look at him. Though if she did, she'd only find that Sasayan wouldn't want to look at her, too, anyway.

She realized she wasn't replying.

"Ye-yeah." She said. "I'm sorry too." She grits her teeth. It's kind of weird saying sorry to someone when you're not facing them. She looks sideways, her eyes trying to reach that point where she can see him, but at the same time it wasn't obvious that she was.

"I'm going out now." She said. "A-aren't you going, too?"

She could hear the air escape from his mouth as he laughed. How she immediately forgets how his laugh sounds like after their little fight.

How she just now realized how comforting it was.

"I'll stay for a bit." He says. "I think I'll take a rest, pretty tired." She can feel movement behind her, and she thought he was moving towards her. She turned around and saw that he was leaning in the window instead, his eyes on the sky above.

It took seconds before he hears the door shut.

When he awakes, he found food set aside on the table beside the bed. He wonders how it got there, but then he smiles.

_Natsume-san…_


	12. Chocolates

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>13<strong>

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><p>Just what was with it, anyway? Why do some people have to spend their time and energy and money on making chocolates just for them to show that someone is special when it comes to Valentine's day?<p>

Well, it has been a tradition, at least in their part of the world. It was a day when the streets were washed with the color of red and the feeling of love. It was a time when chocolates were handmade with great effort and excitement. While some happily flaunts it and carries it around, those who are still in doubt, and let's say, shy in expressing their fondness to that special someone keeps their prized piece of affection in their bags. It was a time when roses were harvested and dressed with fancy coatings of paper, and some hidden behind the backs of boys , as if surprising anyone with it wasn't clichéd enough already.

For Sasahara Souhei, it was just a normal day. That was, until his brother woke him up from a very good sleep. He had pulled the blanket from him and told him something's happened, though he managed to do this with such a solemn expression.

Sasayan wouldn't have gotten out of bed, if only his brother hadn't told him that someone was waiting for him outside. He wondered who it was, and got annoyed with them for being so early. He can't remember having appointment with someone.

When he got out of his room, he saw brown eyes, brown hair, and a happy smile.

"Natsume-san?" He was still a little too stunned as to why Natsume was standing and waiting for him in their house.

"Oh, Sasayan-kun. I'm sorry for bothering you on a holiday." She said, her face was beaming with excitement. Or at least, that's what Sasayan thinks.

"Natsume-san?! How do you know where I live?" It was all Sasayan could afford to say, since it really made him wonder.

"Remember that time when we went fishing, because of what happened with Micchan, we came to your house to fetch you?" She answers.

Sasayan noticed Natsume was looking at something behind him, and he heard snickers from behind. "Sorry, those are my brothers. Let's go out."

And so they did.

He can hear a little bit of his brothers' conversations. "Is that Sou's girlfriend?" They were saying.

_Not. Were just normal friends._ He thinks, but he doesn't say it.

When they were finally out of Sasayan's house, Natsume told him about the reason why she went to see him. Well, sort of. "Urgh. How do I say this?" She looked at Sasayan, as if by looking at him, she could find out the proper words that she would say. "Sasayan-kun, have you received Valentine's chocolate?"

_She came all the way to my house just to ask me that?_ Sasayan thinks. "Oh, yep." He says. "From my manager and the girls in my class."

"What valuable feelings. Make sure you diligently respond to them!" She says, rubbing her hands together. "So, after that, did you meet up any of them?"

_Oh, I get it._

He's so perceptive sometimes. Or maybe she was just very easy to read, or maybe both.

"Natsume-san wants to go to the Manager's place!" He says, his voice quite loud. He was teasing her.

"You.. You actually know about it?!" She said, the look of shock was apparent on her face. "But today Mitty and Haru-kun aren't around." She adds, and she wonders if he can pinpoint what she was trying to imply.

Of course he can.

"Huh? But didn't you say that during Valentine's Day you were going to maintain your distance?" He says, though the tone he was using wasn't implementing that he was opposing to her needs.

"I've already kept my distance for one week, I think that's enough." She replies.

"Anyway, I'm just Mizutani-san and Yoshida's replacement, aren't I?" Sasayan blatantly says, though there wasn't any hint of hurt or displeasure in his tone.

"Sorry, sorry sorry!" Natsume clasps her hands together in front of her face.

_Of course. Why would Natsume bother visiting me on a holiday…_

"Alright. I have baseball practice at noon, so I'll accompany you till then. Wait here for me for a while." Sasayan says, and he means it. He wouldn't be angry about her with just it, anyway. "I'm gonna go take my things."

"Sasayan-kun..!" Natsume says just before Sasayan can leave. He looks back, and he saw a look on Natsume's face he wasn't very used to. She didn't need to say anything, from the way her cheeks flashed red with embarrassment to the way he almost saw his reflection in her eyes…

That's already enough of a thank you.

So there he was. Sasayan walked alongside Natsume, listening to her talk about how nervous she was and how she thinks how would Micchan react. She grips tightly on the chocolates she's been holding.

He was like her bodyguard, walking alongside her and answering her questions and keeping up with her frustrations. It would've been a perfect sight, the two of them, together, side by side, on Valentine's Day. However, the only thing wrong is that Natsume was still holding on to that box of chocolate.

"So, I guess I'd be going now." Sasayan said, as soon as they reached the manager's place. Now he really feels as if he's her bodyguard.

Natsume smiles and thanks him for being with her, then apologizes for waking him up early on a holiday, and for all things she thought that probably pissed Sasayan off. She didn't have to, but she's like that.

Sasayan just tells her good luck and waves his hands as he left.

She wanted to call him one last time. But he was already far away, and the sound of his name stuck on her throat.

On the night of that Valentine's Day, just after the baseball practice Sasayan had, he saw her. Was this day really a tease as to make him meet her twice?

She was sitting there, alone, on steps of cement. She looked utterly depressed and at the same time disappointed. She still hasn't noticed him, but if she did, she would've just told him to knock it off, since all Sasayan did was look at her, and not take his eyes off of her.

"What.. are you doing, Natsume-san?" Sasayan spoke. She didn't respond. "What happened this time? Did you fail again? Or were you too chicken to give the manager the chocolate?"

"Too bad." She replied, trying to keep her voice as mean. "Though you're really sharp, you've got it all wrong." She paused, as if she was trying to think if what she said was really true. "I gave them to him, and he accepted them properly."

"Then isn't that a good thing?" Sasayan says.

"But that was it." It's like she didn't hear what Sasayan just said, and continued her previous sentence as if he wasn't talking to her. Her face started to change, like she was about to hurl at him or something. "He just treated me like I was a small kid from next door."

"Well, there's no helping that, right?" Sasayan said sharply. "You've already been rejected once. So… you're just going to huddle here and wait till the manager calls you?"

Sasayan is pretty sharp, and it really hurts sometimes.

"Sasayan-kun, you're such a bully." She said. "I had heaps of confidence, since I'm really cute. Up until now, without me asking them to, men fall head over heels for me." She was boasting, but it suddenly changed after that. She lost it all when she remembered the way Micchan accepted her chocolate. No change of expression, no fast heartbeat, nothing. "That's why… I don't know what to do to make Micchan like me."

Sasayan scanned her. She was almost crying, or maybe she was just upset. She just looked at him, and he looked at her back.

He wasn't sure, but Sasayan thinks that's the first time he really saw her like that. She may be a bit broken, a mess, even. She didn't care that the night was cold, that she was wearing fashionable clothes but she was alone, and that nobody came for her. But Sasayan wonders, why despite all of those things, she was pretty.

Perhaps this beauty was the thing boys see when they pointlessly tell her they like her. Or maybe it was a different kind of pretty, since only few boys, or even just him, had seen her in this situation, or so he likes to think.

But if that's the case, then there's that other kind of pretty she carried all the time.

Did he notice it the first time they met? Well, maybe he did think she was cute. But perhaps it was his thought that every new person he'd meet, he was certain he'd only be their friend, that's why he didn't quite see that real thing she had.

_Was she crying?_ Sasayan doesn't like to think so.

They stayed like that for seconds. His eyes were just kept in that point, and Natsume didn't move. The sound of the city around them was loud, and there wasn't anything from them to cover up that noise.

Sometimes, the things he keeps in his mind are different to those that come out of his mouth. The other times, it does.

"You're cute, Natsume-san." He said. He must've sounded like a liar, saying she's cute just because she's depressed. Saying things just to cheer her up.

But that wasn't the case. He meant it, and it was a thing he has kept inside, a thing he realized too late.

"Tch. Being told that by someone who isn't Micchan doesn't make me even a bit happy." Maybe Natsume was one of those people who thought he was joking. Maybe she was just clouded up with disappointment brought by what just happened to her that she clings on the thought that a simple appreciation from that person would be the only thing that would make her happy. Only thing.

"Man, you're annoying." Sasayan said. "Well, do you want to come up with me? I'm going to do some batting."

"I'm not coming." Natsume stubbornly replies.

"He still took those chocolates, you know." Sasayan tells her. "And maybe he'll like it, and no matter what happened, he still appreciated what you've done to him."

Natsume just sat, and she looked as if she wasn't very interested on what Sasayan was talking about. But he continued to talk.

"And by the end of this night, he'd be thinking that he should be very thankful that someone gave him chocolates on a Valentine's day, and he'd be very thankful indeed." Sasayan says. He walked closer towards her.

Natsume looked up at him, he felt really tall when Natsume's so low like that. Her face didn't change a bit.

"I hope you don't think I'm lying." He laughs for a while, a little laugh enough to let air escape from his mouth. "Or, I wish what I've been saying is true." He pauses. "Don't you?" He turns away from her and leaves.

She was left staring at his back. _Darn it, Sasayan-kun. _


	13. Can't Help

**Dislaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>14<strong>

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><p>At the end of the school year, Natsume was acting pretty weird. She was spacing out in all the classes. Well, she was always like that, but she wasn't as energetic today. Sasayan wonders how confusing Natsume really was.<p>

Later on, he found out when Mizutani told him about Micchan's rejection to Natsume. Like an official rejection. After that one time he did to her, she didn't give up. After giving the chocolates, she pursued her feelings for him. But after this incident, this is what happened. She wasn't eager to have any conversations. She just sat at her seat, and at lunch break, she'd poke Nagoya in his coop.

Mizutani said Haru got in a fight with Micchan after finding out he made her cry. Sasayan wonders when the rejection did happen. The chocolate thing was way behind them already, and during this time, their first year life in Syoyo High was about to end.

_He'd made her cry, huh. _Sasayan thought. He wondered what she'd look like if she cried. He tried imagining those pretty brown eyes get drowned by her tears. Would she look weak, or would she act strong in front of anyone. Would that tangle of brown, and that perfect sense of clothing, would it all look like a sad masterpiece together?

He remembered that night he met up with her, when he found her sulking at the corner of the batting center. She had looked so sad there, but she didn't cry.

Almost.

From that point onwards, Sasayan believed that though Natsume acts like a klutz sometimes, she was strong. She didn't easily give up. She could've been a lot stronger than him. But why did she cry? Was the words Micchan told her hit her hard?

Or was it just… she can't accept that the manager can't accept her feelings towards him. He remembered when he told the manager that if he'd keep it up, he'll only keep hurting her. He had told the manager to _just reject her, then._

He thought maybe it was his fault, and not the manager's, that she's in a state of inattentiveness today. If he hadn't said those words… what would've happened?

He sighed.

It was the end of the school year, and Natsume was depressed.

And Sasayan was bothered about it.

* * *

><p>At spring break, she would occasionally drift into his mind. He wanted to call her, but he got lost at which words he would say. He hadn't had a good conversation with her since that incident. But if he'd seen her, then what?<p>

Would he cheer her up?

Would she really cheer up with just the mere Sasayan-kun. Or would he be surprised that if he does meet her again, she'd have moved on and that she would be back to the normal Natsume-san. He would like to think the second option would be much better. Much better.

He rides on his bike one day to the park. He doesn't have anything to do better at home, so he decided to just ride around town, see anything good. And he sees her.

As he turned at a corner, he realized he was close to her neighborhood. First time he came into these parts, he had no idea he was already walking her home. That time, he still hadn't fully known Natsume, and he still had a lot to know about her.

He wanted to hide. He felt stupid. All throughout spring break he thought about what to say when he'd finally see her. And now, why is he thinking of running away? As much as he wanted to, he can't. The fact that he almost hit her was already not enough of a method to try and escape.

Natsume appeared out of nowhere. Thankfully, Sasayan hit the brakes just before his bike could hit her. She must've been scared out of her wits. She was about to throw insults and scold at him when she realized it was Sasayan.

"Sasayan..kun?" She said.

"Natsume-san." Sasayan says back.

She looked the same. Same kind of pretty she always wore, but Sasayan notices she was more than pretty today. She was smiling.

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><p>"So how's your spring break going?" She says as she leans on the railings of the bridge, overlooking the river that sparkled with the lights of sunset. She was so busy looking ahead, Sasayan wondered if she was really talking to him or not.<p>

"It's fine, I guess." He replies, joining her in her scenic viewing. "Well, boring kind of fun."

"Does Sasayan still play baseball at breaks?" She turns to him, and her hair was like one with the sunset. The color it usually has mixed that of a blazing fire, like the sun had set it on flares.

"Yes… Yeah." He answers. He wanted to ask her if she's already over the whole Micchan thing, but he doesn't want to bring it up right away. "I go to the manager's place once in a while."

He can feel her flinch when he mentioned the manager's place, or maybe that's what he liked to think. She went back on the view, like she doesn't want to talk with Sasayan anymore. "How about Natsume-san?" Sasayan asks. "Do you go to the manager's place?"

"Me?" She said, clearly she was trying to avoid the subject. But she learned it's not that easy, especially if it's Sasayan you're talking about. He had that kind of sense in him in which you feel like you shouldn't say things carelessly, because he can see right through you. That sharp look he always gives. She wonders sometimes how easily it turns into something comical, and soothing. "What.. what am I gonna do there, anyway? Why would I without you guys?"

"Let me get this straight." He was starting to be serious now. "You still don't want to see him, right?" Sasayan said. His stares pierce her, and she tries her hardest not to look back at it. She's afraid that she might be blinded if she would.

"Sasayan-kun…" She says. "Stop being so…"

"What?" He says. "Right?" He looks at her, his lips forming a curve. "Well, there's no helping that." He raises both his arms and stretches it out, as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep.

"Sasayan-kun?" She says. "Thank you."

He was so astounded by it that he stopped moving. His face was flushed, though with the sun looming just ahead of them, he wouldn't worry about her noticing it. "For what?"

"We'll just leave out the part of you being annoying and mean and acting like a bully. But thanks…" She was saying, though Sasayan was thinking even she doesn't really understand why she was thanking him. He wanted to ask her more, but he was afraid that if he would…

"Ah Natsume-san…" Sasayan said. "I think, I think you shouldn't be thanking me… And I should be saying sorry too."

"Hmm?" Natsume faces him.

"I mean, I said I'd cheer for you… but."

"Oh." Natsume just said. She smiled and leaned forward. Sasayan was afraid she would lean too far and she'd fall to the river, but she was just playing. "That's okay. I mean, there wouldn't be any difference if you did something, I guess." She said. She looked below, and he thought she was about to cry, but she was just quiet. When she'd look up, she screams as loud as she could.

"Gaaaaaah. I'm never falling in love again!" She said that the same way she did at the batting center rooftop, letting it all out. Not minding anyone at all. And Sasayan looked at her as if he'd seen another part of her. Though he knows it already. "I shouldn't have felt something like that for a boy. Agggghhh." She screamed, though she wasn't hurt. She even looked like she was having fun.

As soon as she was done telling the wind what she wanted to, she looked at him, and she looked as though a tear had just escaped from her eye. Or maybe her eyes were just sparkling. "So Sasayan-kun… don't fall for me, okay?" She smiles after that.

Sasayan can only look away. That smile, how could he continue to look at her after seeing that smile?

Because _darn it, Natsume-san. What if I already did?_


	14. Don't You Complain

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kabutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>15<strong>

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><p>When school comes back, Natsume looked as cute as ever. She had just come from the entrance gate and all eyes were glued on her, well, to the boys. He notices the commotion, and he tries to peek at what was going on. He sees her, and his eyes almost go wide. She smiles as soon as she sees him, he grins back.<p>

At the classroom, she cries in happiness. She just discovered that they were still in the same class, along with Mitty, Haru, and Sasayan-kun. She tells them that she would still be under their care. Such was the start of their second-year life.

* * *

><p>Sasayan hits his last ball. His bat seemed a little off today, but still the ball went quite far. It was hot, and he was sweating. His hands drift into his forehead as he watches from afar. And he hears someone call his name. Someone familiar.<p>

He looked behind him and saw Natsume, her hands clawed on the cages. Sasayan recalled the last time he'd seen her like that. At the batting center, when she supposedly gave him a hint that she liked someone.

He felt stupid remembering that he thought maybe she was talking about him. That seemed too far-fetched. He smiles when he sees her, and she walked towards where she was.

_Did she grow a bit taller? _

Sasayan thought about that, or maybe it was just his imagination. Or maybe he didn't just grow. That sucks.

She squints as she tries to look at him. The sun was looming behind and it almost seemed to set his whole body in flames. "Is your practice almost over?"

"Hmm. Just a couple of rounds left." He replies. "Is… Mitty or Haru not around?" He adds. She looked quite shy and snubbed after he said it.

"Do you think I only come to you whenever they're not around?" She says, her head down. She's the only one who gives him this kind of reaction. And he knows just how to respond to it.

He steps back, just a little bit, puts his hand on his head, slants it slightly to his side, and… laughs.

"Yeah." He admits. "Practically."

"Oh." For a moment she looked as though he was right. She looked as though she was about to say sorry, but it quickly turned into a boastful scorn. "Huh. Sasayan-kun thinks he's such a guy who knows so much about me." She turns around and starts to walk away, but Sasayan called her.

"What?" As soon as she looked back.

"Ahh." Sasayan says. "What is it that you want?" He puts on a smile, and a stifled laugh. "You didn't you come here just to tell me that, did you?"

"Hu-?" Natsume's face flushed red. He wouldn't like Sasayan thinking that she wanted something from him. "Oh. Forget it."

"What?" Sasayan says. But he sees her walking away. "Hey, seriously. Natsume-san? Hey I was just…"

He stopped because he heard her laugh. Her shoulders were moving, and he can hear her giggle. "Does Sasayan-kun still think I'm predictable?" She turns around and sticks her tongue out to him. After satisfying herself with that, she speaks. In her normal voice, not that taunting kind which tips Sasayan's know-it-all look off. "Actually, are you free? I want to try out this new pastry shop, and Haru-kun can't come because he ran off with Mitty before I can even ask him."

"Asking me out like you did the day of the Valentines?" Sasayan says, his face on the verge of forming a grin. Natsume would just slap it off if she looks at it for far long, so she averted her gaze.

Before she can leave, Sasayan calls her name. She turns around. She was glad that smug of a face was already wiped off. "I'm still right, you came here since Haru can't go with you." He twists his cap to his side. "Guess you're still pretty predictable." He turns around, leaving an enraged Natsume stomping her feet at his back.

He smiles as he hears her scream his name.

* * *

><p>"You just have to bring me out here, do you?" He looks at the girl on his side, who smiled at him. A "thank you" smile, or perhaps a "admit it, you want to" smile. She wasn't perfectly right, but if she were, Sasayan likes to think that either's fine.<p>

"They say their cupcakes here are astounding." She says, perhaps exaggerating, hoping that Sasayan would get excited too. But he wasn't. He just stared at her blankly while she stared back. It stayed like that until Natsume can't take it. She went inside, leaving Sasayan out. He smiles as the door closes.

When he came in, Natsume was already first on the line. Her eyes landed on him, then it drifted to the assortment of cakes and sweets in front of her. He walked further instead, trying to find some available table.

When he found one, he sat and pulled out his phone. He was trying to look at Natsume from where he was sitting. She's in front, so the people on her back were blocking her from his view. He decided to wait.

And she was taking quite long.

He stood up and went over to her. When he came in front of the display, Natsume speaks without even looking at him. "Which is better? Chocolate forest or this Strawberry Kruffin?" She waits for his answer.

"Anything." He says. He found her looking back at him with narrowed eyes. He held back his hands. "What? They're all sweet aren't they?"

Natsume rolled her eyes. "Sasayan-kun doesn't know too much about this stuff huh." She says. "One Strawberry Kruffin, and three of those Coco Muffins." She says as she turns to the counter. Then she looks back at him. "Guess you don't really know everything."

Sasayan's eyes turned unimpressed. "Why are you insulting me now?"

"It's because you-"

"What?" Sasayan stops her before she can continue. He locks his eyes with her, not moving an inch. Natsume concludes he's too good at this, and she'll never beat him with his little game of a staring contest… ever.

"Gaaaah. Sasayan-kun!" She lets out a little wail. The person behind them wasn't happy. They were clogging up the line. Natsume stopped her cry of irritation on Sasayan, her face embarrassed as she got told off by another customer. She hears Sasayan laugh from her side. She kicks him before saying sorry. Sarcastically, of course.

* * *

><p>"So what were you gonna say?" Sasayan tells her as soon as they got out of the shop.<p>

"I was about to say that it's probably much better if I went with Haru-kun instead of you."

Sasayan was supposed to be insulted with this, but instead he sneered. He put both arms behind his head and started to walk with a fast pace. He speaks and turns around as soon as he mentions her name. "Probably?"

"Definitely."

"Definitely probably?" Sasayan says. "So you're not sure if going there with Haru is really better than going with me or not-"

"No." Natsume said in frustration. "Definitely. it's DEFINITELY better if Haru-kun was with me."

Sasayan was thinking she'd burst any minute, like literally.

"Don't even try to win out of this Sasayan-kun, I won't trust you if you would."

"What does this have to do with tru-"

"Whatever."

For the first time since they had their sort of "time" together, there was silence. A silence that can only come because Sasayan did lose to Natsume, or Sasayan just didn't want to piss her off any further.

In this case though, neither was right.

Sasayan was just trying to come up with a better excuse. Beating Natsume at useless fights like this is quite awesome.

"So…" He tries to speak, his eye almost turns to his side as he tries to look at Natsume behind him. Her steps were synced with his. His lips began to curve. "I was right, then? I was just another substitute for Haru."

No answer.

"And you even disagreed that you are predictable just to divert the fact that I am, indeed a replacement."

Sasayan can hear the sound that comes out of her mouth as she sticks her tongue out and mocks him from behind. "Sasayan-kun's a bully, a girl won't enjoy a single date with him."

"I don't intend to have dates." He sternly replies.

"Well, it's not like anyone wants to go on a date with you."

"Well, I did with my girlfriend in middle school."

Natsume almost stops on her tracks, but if she would, then Sasayan would just continuously bombard her with stupid assumptions. So she tried to keep her pace, even if the memory of Sasayan having a girlfriend nags her a bit, though she doesn't know why.

"Did she complain about any about it?"

"She's completely happy about it."

"Why did you break up then?"

"Because…" Sasayan stopped, making Natsume bump on his back. "Is this how you're gonna get back at me? Digging out my past?"

"If that's what it takes for you to stop bugging me, then yes."

Sasayan sighed. "Guess, I'll just have to bear with you. Aha!" He snapped his fingers and he continued to walk forward. Natsume followed behind. "I'd just ignore you and not answer any of your questions."

"I'd be really noisy if you won't."

"It's not like there's any difference to your normal self."

"Sasayan-kun!"

"What? Bear with me, you're the one who asked me to come with you, didn't you?"

She kept quiet. So Sasayan continued to say. "I'll bear with you too till we get there."

"What do you mean there?"

"You're annoying, but I guess I'm still walking you home."

It made her go quiet. See this is why. Whenever she thinks she almost got him, she still hasn't. He always always makes her go quiet with those unpredictable things that come out of his mouth.

"I'm guessing you don't get special assistance like this with Haru?" He looks back at her and flashes that smirk. "If Haru's DEFINITELY better than me, then I guess I'll have to do my part well, don't you think, Natsume-san?"

She looks away so she wouldn't have to punch him.


	15. Iyo

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>16<strong>

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><p>Iyo was a very cute girl. Or so she likes to think. She was, indeed, pretty cute. She's been branded as the cutest first-year student in Syoyo High. She's gotten pretty popular, and quickly too. Well, she was Yamagushi Kenji's little sister.<p>

If Sasayan would take a closer look at her, he does see a bit of him in her. The same color of hair, the same observing eyes. The elite stature. It's all Yamaken, if not for the height and the gender, or course.

The first time he'd seen her was when one of his friends almost bumped on her after practice. She'd looked as if there wasn't anyone in front of her. Even if the guy was all hunched up on being embarrassed and sorry, she maintained her cool.

She was a pretty girl, but Sasayan could tell she wasn't his type.

The next time he'd see her would be when Natsume suddenly burst out while he and Shizuku were studying over. He had been too busy on the book in front of him, chewing on his pen while Shizuku sat silently in front of him.

Her shrill voice is alarming. He looked up to see Natsume, along with Iyo, who was standing shyly beside her. She then introduced her as if they were already best friends. It surprised Sasayan on how quickly she earned a new companion when clearly she's not very good at it. It still wanders on his mind how she easily became buddy-buddy to the new most talked-about girl in school.

Well, maybe it has something to do with the looks. They were both pretty cute after all. Specially the brown-haired one.

Iyo was like Natsume's apprentice, or was it the other way around? Natsume clearly wasn't the type to lead, as what Sasayan thinks of her. Well, she does amaze him sometimes.

Okay, pretty much all the time.

Sasayan doesn't know what Iyo saw in her, what the new kid thought was pretty cool about her. Perhaps it was her beliefs. He wouldn't now, but it still bothers him to this day. Sometimes he asks himself that question, too. But he prefers not to answer.

But Natsume is still annoying. Her habit of suddenly jumping into conclusions without even gaining all the facts vexes him. They passed by on each other on their way to school one time. Sasayan had said good morning, and she greeted back too.

She then started talking about Iyo, and what Sasayan thinks of her. Well, he is an honest man. He told her he was kind of surprised when she introduced Iyo to them, which was pretty true. Then he told her she seems nice, and kind. And of course, he told her she was cute.

Here is when she liked to jump to opinions like a rabbit.

She accused him of having plans on hitting on Iyo-chan.

"Sa..Sasayan-kun!?" She moved back, an inch away from Sasayan. "Do-don't tell me you like Iyo-chan?" She was so wrong, Sasayan wanted to laugh. Well, if only not for how his piss-off meter was about to turn.

"Natsume-san." He said calmly, keeping it in control. "I don't think you-."

"Sasayan-kun!" She then started wailing, moving away from him as far as she could get, then walking back to him just to let him hear what she would say. "I didn't.. I never thought you were this kind of a guy."

"I'm not." He said. "You are just so wrong like… most of the time. Especially when it comes to me."

"But Iyo-"

"Yep, I tell you, she's cute. Just like I think you're cute." Sasayan said, thinking he wouldn't be able to handle what she would continue to say. Stopping her was a good plan. However, he'll have to be more honest if he wanted her to stop. They were almost in their room now, and Sasayan was wishing that they already be sitting on their desks. She wanted to get away with her. "But she's not my type."

Fortunately, she stopped talking.

But that means stopped talking to him for the rest of the day.

Which is fine, for Sasayan. At least now.

Then one afternoon she was calling his name. She has been frustrated looking for Haru. Sasayan was lying calmly under a big shade, then she showed up, sipping on some juice. Her face was upside down as she bowed down to face him. She was still pretty, even when her hair has been made slightly unkempt from walking around, looking for a guy who was pretty much good at disappearing.

"Have you seen Haru-kun?" She asks.

"Havent seen him." He sat up. "Isn't he in class?"

Her face suddenly turned into a sneer. "When I went to class A, Ooshima said that he ran away in the middle of the morning and hasn't returned yet." She continues to ramble. "Ugh, it's almost the end of term! I'm going to fail everything again."

Then her first-year friend showed up. "Asako-senpai." She called, her voice was almost like his brother's. Or was it her tone. "Haru senpai is resting in the geology classroom."

Iyo still hasn't completely finished her sentence when Natsume stood up. "The Geography Classroom! That was my blind spot!" She was suddenly cheerful. Man, the girl.

Before she can leave, she turns to him and her eyes lands on his head. Sasayan wondered why she was looking at him that way. "Sasayan-kun, you have a leaf on your head." Then she pulled it out from the brown tangle on his head. And she smiled, as if she wasn't a bit miserable the minute before. "There. I'm out." She leaves.

To be honest, Sasayan was weirded out. That was a silly move, and to think he'll blush with something as silly as that. He decides to rub the back of his head instead. A weird silence enveloped him and Iyo when Natsume was finally gone. Then the freshman speaks again.

"Sasahara-senpai.." Her eyes turns sideways, looking at Sasayan as if questioning him. "is in love with Asako-senpai, right?"

_Am I? _

He thought about it. To be honest, he was still confused. Sure, there's something about her face, her confusing attitude towards him, her ignorance, her annoyingness, her everything. And something about her presence makes him feel something inside too. But is that love?

So he just turns away as he rests his chin on his palm. "Hmmm, I wonder about that."

But Iyo was persistent. "You can't deceive Iyo's eyes." She starting pointing at him laughingly. "Sasahara-senpai, who is so ordinary ought not to hold any infatuation with Asako-senpai. The fact that you didn't deal with it yourself when she said 'you have something on your head' is proof." She laughs comically.

"What do you mean ordinary? You don't mean that as a compliment, right?" Sasayan wasn't sure. He didn't even really know there was a leaf on his head. But it seems like she wasn't listening. "That might be right." He continued to say, which made Iyo quiet. "I don't know yet." He grins and he covers his mouth with his index finger. "So keep it a secret, kay?"

He was embarrassed. Kind of. Iyo can tell. But she was kind of surprised that he told the truth indeed. He's like a little child, he's unsure, and he's cute when he grins like that.

But he's honest, which is pretty rare these days.

Iyo thinks that if Natsume was the one he was talking with then, would she have felt the same way?

If Iyo was asked, she'd say Natsume should.


	16. Fall

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>17<strong>

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><p>And they went on another summer trip. This time, they decided to stay on Yamaken's vacation house. Sasayan had a time alone with Natsume. He didn't even think she would agree with fetching some water with him. Fortunately, she said she'd come. It was nighttime, after all. If anyone was to go, someone should accompany them.<p>

The well was kind of far, so they have to walk through dark and creepy trees to get there. Sasayan was relieved she went there with him. He's not the type who gets goosebumps and chills, but walking without having someone to talk to him puts him off ease.

"Ugh." She sighed as she walked "I can't follow the sense of those people anymore." She admitted, talking about the people partying behind them. Sometimes, they get a little too confusing. Sasayan couldn't agree more.

"But, isn't this fun?" She said as she looked behind her. "Tha camp. I wish we could have done this last year too." Sasayan can see she was really happy. A little too happy.

"Hey, Natsume-san." He said. It made her turn to him. "Do you still like the manager?"

It took her a little time to answer him. She was somehow even a bit dumbfounded when he asked her the question. Sasayan wasn't the one who butts in to people's business. But then again…

He's pretty much curious when it comes to things about her.

"Oh well." She turns her head from him. "There's always tomorrow and the day after."

Sasayan wasn't quite sure what she meant for that. Was that a yes? A no? She's so confusing sometimes. No, all the time. He wonders why he even likes spending time with her, when all he could get are puzzling and irritating responses.

"Oh look!" She was suddenly cheerful, pointing ahead. "Water." Sasayan like to think she was changing the subject.

_Oh well_. He thought. That's enough productive conversation with her.

He followed behind her. She leaned a little too much, poking her head inside the well. Sasayan was almost afraid she'd fall down. Well, she isn't stupid right? She can't let herself fall. Then she pulled her body up and looked back at him as she smiled.

"It's pretty deep." She said.

"Of course it is." Sasayan said. "Be careful, you might slip and fall."

Natsume laughed. Hard.

"I'm serious!" He said. "You're a little clumsy, you know that?" Sasayan grinned. Sasayan was afraid she'd push him off the well. Gladly, she didn't. "There's no Micchan here to save you." He meant that as a joke.

But Natsume stopped smiling.

"If I did fall. I'd scream really really loud for Micchan to hear." She said. She looked happy, but then it suddenly faded. "But… there's no point in that, anyway." She looked at Sasayan. "If I did fall, Sasayan-kun would help me."

_She needs to stop doing that._ Sasayan thought. He stood there still, not speaking.

Then she spoke. "I- It's not like that. No it's not what you think!" She started wailing. See what Sasayan says about jumping to conclusions? "It's just you're the only one here. And I know you are not stupid enough to leave me there alone."

"Natsume-san!" Sasayan yelled for her to stop. "We- we need to fetch some water, remember?" She stopped flailing her arms and calmed down.

"Yeah. You're right." They set to work. Natsume watched as Sasayan pushed the bucket into the water, waiting for it to fill up, then pulling the ropes. See? Natsume wasn't supposed to do anything. Sasayan knew that she'd only be standing there anyway. And yet he still asked her to come with him.

"That's okay, Sasayan-kun." She spoke after a few minutes. "I don't like the idea of falling right now."

"Are you still talking about the well here?" He turned to her as he carried the bucket.

She didn't answer, she just followed him as he walked back towards camp. "Don't worry, Natsume-san. I'd stop it before it can happen."

Natsume was talking about a different kind of fall…

She wonders if she ever does, would he catch him? Sasayan-kun..

No No No No! She shook her head. She can't be thinking about that, right now.

She ran. Catching up to him before having him grin at her.

"Stupid Sasayan-kun." She says. "Why'd you even invite me of you won't let me help."

He answers back, and he offers the bucket to her. Then she'd carry it. She'd complain that it was heavy. He'd laugh. Then she'd pout and say nasty things to him. He'd answer back. She loses. Silence. Then he'd ask her to help him carry the thing, holding the other side so they'd be sharing the weight. She ignores him, but does it anyway after a minute. He'd grin at her. She'd tell him to shut up even if he didn't say anything. She tells him she'll only be helping him carry the bucket before anyone from the gang can see them. He doesn't answer. He just laughs.


	17. High Heels

**DIsclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

**A/N: So I'm updating two chapters for today because the next one happens right after this.**

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><p><strong>18<strong>

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><p>On a hot summer day, a girl with brown hair and high heels is having confidence issues. A few minutes ago, she was standing in front of a huge building, and now she's taken her time running up the stairs just to come back down as she gets to the top. She doesn't trust herself that much. She can't think she can do it. She even wonders if seeing him was a good idea at all.<p>

Then Haru sees her. She almost jumped out of her skin when she heard him call her name. He was inviting him for Takoyaki. If only he has an idea on what she's just been doing. She refuses, but then he asks her if she was done with the homework.

Crap.

Then Shizuku was questioning them why the two of them are in their living room. They weren't even listening. Haru teaches Natsume Math, but she was keeping her focus on drawing a perfect theta symbol.

Shizuku calls his brother to help her with the plants. They got out and Natsume and Haru were left inside the room. The cheerful Natsume suddenly slumped down, resting her head on the table. Even now, she still haven't understood the meaning of being in a relationship.

"I'm sorry, Haru." She says in between the Math tutorial. "I actually wanted to give my souvineer to Micchan, but in the end, I still wasn't able to face him naturally as usual. Even until now, I still don't know how to face him."

"Don't worry Natsume. Micchan is a very nice guy." Haru replies to soothe her. He wasn't lying, it was the truth. Micchan really is a nice guy.

Sasayan decided to come over to Mizutani's place. When he got there, he saw Haru and Shizuku together. The manager was right.

"I heard from the manager that Yoshida was here." He said happily. "The photos from camp have arrived, so I've come to show you."

They browsed over the photos. As usual, most of them were more hilarious than memorable. Before they could reach that certain photo, Sasayan grabbed it before they could see it. He kept it in his pocket.

He then asks them if they are going to the festival they have no idea about.

They both agree after hearing it from him.

At the festival, she came alone.

She comments about Mitty's yukata first and foremost when she strode along with her heels. She rushed here after being invited, after all. He looks at her and asks her, "Have you been to the manager's place?"

Natsume's face suddenly changed into something nervous. She was sweating. Well… kind of.

"I was busy updating my blog, so…" She lied.

"Seriously Natsume, what are you doing?" Sasayan asks. "It's been a week since the camp already. I can too easily guess. Stop running away."

"Wha-what are you talking about all of a sudden?" She whimpers. But then she bursts. "You're so annoying! I came to play today."

Well… He was always annoying to her. So it's no big deal. Even Haru and Shizuku, who heard about it didn't make a fuss.

Her feet was hurting from walking all night. She looks at Mitty and Takaya, who was strolling in front of her and decides she couldn't take another step. She flapped her arms on Shizuku's shoulders, hoping she'd carry her. But of course, that's not possible. Instead, Mitty comments about why she was even wearing that kind of footwear.

Ooshima and Yuu arrives, and she heard from the four-eyes that she was rejected by Yoshida. She was amazed by how happy she still looked, and that she still can talk normally to Haru even after that. She knows how she feels, about being rejected and all. What she doesn't understand is how cheerful Ooshima was.

She thinks if she'd be the same too…

"Can you walk now, Natsume-san?" Shizuku asks her.

"You two should just go. I'll wait here." She'd already have enough strolling anyway. She purchased a cat mask, and now it's covering the side of her head. As she sat down, she recalled when Sasayan asked her if she still liked the manager. Well, the truth is… she was confused herself. And she hates how she still can't talk to him.

Sasayan had learned from his friends that Ooshima was at the festival. They were talking about how good she looked in her Yukata. Sasayan grew excited too, and he wanted to see her. His friends have been asking him about the camp.

"It was fun." He says. "But… I hate adults."

One of his friends wonders about that. But he continued to speak. "Yeah… She… still likes the manager."

He heard an unfamiliar girl near where they were standing. She was yelling at some guys. "You're annoying. You keep going 'Yukata! Yukata!' If I was feeling better, I would have come in a cute one too."

It made Sasayan think. _Was Natsume-san wearing a yukata?_ The answer was no, and he realized it as fast he understood the reason why. She wasn't wearing a yukata. It's because….

She wasn't feeling fine, right?

Then he sees her. She was alone, sitting on a bench of cement, the bushes tickling her back. She was covering her face with this some kind of mask.

_Why is she there alone? That's right. There's no way she would be happy._

_Since that day, I haven't heard Natsume-san wanting to go to the batting center. Not even once._

He flips his phone on and calls Yana. "Sorry, the fried noodles might be late… Actually, I might not be coming back." He turns toward her and asked her about the mask.

She answers ridiculously. "It's to prevent me from getting picked up."

He ignores her answer. "Where is Mizutani-san and Yoshida?"

"It's so hard for them so I let them have a moment alone." She starts talking about Mitty and her opinion about how Mitty takes her relationship with Haru. "Mitty just doesn't understand this sort of thing at all! Like… although I don't actually understand them too…"

"Um…" Sasayan breaks her sentence up. "Hey, about the manager..." He pulled his cap down, covering his eyes. "I said I would support you… Sorry!" He blurted out.

Natsume was looking at him with wide eyes the whole duration. She looked away from him after he'd done speaking. "We had this conversation before, right? It doesn't really have anything to do with Sasayan-kun. No matter what you did, it'd have turned out the same." She paused for a while. Sasayan thought she was done speaking. "Well, you know, I've been thinking. Why was I completely rejected by Micchan-san? Maybe… I'm the one who forced him to say it that way. Because I am… still a kid." She smiled. "If it's like that, then Micchan really is a nice person. He didn't treat my feelings with ambiguity."

Sasayan wasn't able to speak more. He didn't know what to say. He just stood there, like a stupid guy. He didn't know how to comfort her. She just looked… happy. Sasayan wondered if he'd ever see her happy everyday again.

He wanted to. And he was glad she was.

And after everything, even when he could do nothing about it, perhaps just standing there just listening to her talk may be comforting. Sometimes, having someone listen to what you say is already enough. Especially if it's deep, and real, and truly coming from your heart.

He was glad she trusted him with that. He always thought she'd only talk things like this with Shizuku.

It's special. And it's the sort of thing that pushes him from pulling away from her.


	18. And You Cried

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

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><p><strong>19<strong>

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><p>He stayed with her.<p>

At that summer festival, her feet had been hurt so bad. She cursed herself for wearing designer shoes. Who wears high heels during festivals, anyways? So she sat down as she watched the people around her have fun. And he sat there next to her.

She was hurting, because she wanted to give Micchan a souvineer, but she can't even bring herself into seeing him.

He didn't do anything much. He couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't comfort her. He said sorry, and that was pretty much enough for both of them.

He didn't do anything. He didn't hold her hand to make her feel safe, he didn't hug her, he didn't ask her a lot of questions.

And she likes him for that. Sasayan seems to know her quite well now. They fight, like mostly, but they can sort it out. Besides, she must admit she's the one who always loses in their arguments. She's the one who causes it anyway, it just irks her that she loses on something she started.

It has been getting quite late. She looks at him from her side, and he looks at her back with staring eyes. "Sasayan-kun…" She started. "Thanks for staying with me but… I think you have to go now."

He tilted his head to his side.

"No, I didn't mean to sound rude but.." She starts to lower her volume. "I mean, you can go home now… I'll be fine." She grins from where she was sitting, which is neither close nor far from him. He wants to look at her more. But he can't.

So he turns his head away. "Oh." He grins back after a short pause. "Just… yeah. Don't run away anymore." He gives her one final remark before standing up and leaving her from where she was. She doesn't stand before he sees him catch up with some of his pals.

"Stupid Sasayan-kun… and they were waiting for you, too."

She stands and stomps her feet on the ground. Not a little too hard. Guess it's fine now. She can walk, well at least to the manager's store. She can manage that far. She has to.

She walks slowly as soon as she sees the door that leads to his store. For a moment she wanted to turn back and go home, but her hands were already gripping the handle. She pushes it, and feels her energy draining away from her.

He calls her name immediately as soon as he sees her.

"I-It has been a while." She timidly says. She can't help but still stutter. "Um this.." She fished something out from her bag. "I know it's a little late but these are souvenirs from camp."

His eyes shifted to the object in her hand. Or so she thinks. He was wearing shades, as he usually does, so Natsume wasn't quite sure.

"Ahh. I see, thanks."He smiles at her.

"Yes." She begins to feel her composure now after seeing him smile. _Micchan is a very nice guy_. She recalled what Haru said to her. Then what? She realized she have nothing to do there anymore. The plan was to see him and give him the souvenir. Done. She almost laughed at how ridiculous she was during the day, coming in and out when the task could only take minutes. "Oh, well I just came out in the middle of the festival." She even manages to say something about her souvineer.

"Natsume-chan." Micchan says after seeing her look like she's trembling. "Be sure to visit again." His laugh is still the same. Comforting, reassuring, and happy.

She can't help but smile, despite what she's been feeling through the whole day.

She makes sure she looked happy before she shut the door behind her.

When she steps out of that room, she sighed. She was still smiling, and that was because she was proud of herself. She hopped on the steps as she came down. "I think I did a pretty good job." She stepped down. "I could smile nicely.." Step. "This is… I'm going to be fine." Step. "This is great." She came down to the bottom, her heels stopping those clanking noise when she hit solid ground instead of metal steps.

And the weirdest thing happened. Because just as she was about to leave, she saw a familiar black cap just below the railings of the stairs. Sasayan was sitting there. She was unsure what he was doing, but he was sitting there. Probably waiting for her.

She was the first one to speak. "Sasayan-kun." She still can't quite figure why he was there. "What, you even especially came here.."

"Uh… ummm." Sasayan was saying, but he wasn't looking at her, he was looking straight ahead. "Since I was concerned."

_Concerned? Sasayan-kun is… concerned about me…_

"Sheesh." She lies. "It's all fine now. Micchan even told me to visit again. I could already naturally-" She paused because her voice mixed up with some kind of despair. She started to sob, but she tried her best to continue speaking. "For me… I think I've already done my best." She was wiping her eyes now, she looked like a little kid.

He was looking at her, and he wanted nothing more than to hug her. And hug her tight.

"Haven't I?" She was looking for support. He didn't answer her. There's no point in telling her anything about it now. If he'd day yes, then he'd think some part of him is lying. He didn't know how it went out, after all. So he removed his cap from his head and put it on her, pulling it a bit down enough to slightly cover her eyes, because he knows she doesn't want him to see her cry.

But of course, he already did. And that's not something she should be embarrassed about.

"Let's go back, Natsume-san." She was still sobbing, but she was trying her best to stop being such a baby about it.

"It's going to be fine." He said. "Yoshida, Mizutani-san, and I are here for you." Even if he knows she never includes his name when it comes to enumerating the people she'd go with on a food trip. "It'll be fine if all of us go together."

And while her left hand was busy rubbing her eyes, her other hand was being lead by him. He was holding her hand. God, for the first time he felt her hands against his. And it's something he didn't think he could handle.

As he held the crying Natsume's hand, he feels so uncharacteristically nervous. He can't even turn around. If he does, Natsume'd take the time to scold him for blushing uncontrollably.

It burns his face up, and he can do nothing but just stare ahead and listen as her occasional silent snobs fill his ears.

He was nervous, because he was afraid that Natsume would shake her hand forcefully until he lets go of her. He was afraid that she'd hate him for holding her hand without her permission or anything. He was thinking maybe she'd throw his cap out. The cap he doesn't let anyone wear, not even his brothers.

But she didn't.

She didn't.

She just let him lead her.

And that was perhaps one of the times neither of them would ever forget.


	19. Friends?

**Disclaimer: I do not own TOnari No Kaibutsu-kun.**

* * *

><p><strong>20<strong>

* * *

><p><em> The day after that, Sasayan was completely ignored.<em>

_Sasayan hates that part about Natsume. He was really mad at her for this._

_That should've been nothing. Well, at least for her. _

She was feeling a bit unusual since she got out of her bed. _What was it that happened last night?_

**-o0o-**

Oh yeah. Natsume had gone to the manager's place to give her the souvenir she should've given him days before. And then what? She had found him sitting there, waiting for her. He says he's concerned. It did make her fluster a bit. What's wrong with him, anyway?

Then he held her hand. While she cried, he was holding her hand for comfort. He didn't even warn her. He just took it.

She recalled the first time they talked to each other. He had told her that she shouldn't worry about him, but she's having second thoughts about it now.

_"There are those types! Boys start off being friends and then attack you by surprise. Oh Sasayan-kun, please don't ever do that."_

She told him that, and he grinned. And he agreed. Or did he say something about trying? Either way. Grrrrr.

So she was trying hard not to meet him up as she went her way to school. Avoiding every possibility in which he might see her. She began to calm down as soon as she reached the shoe lockers, then she heard one of his friends.

"Oh, morning, Sasayan!" It sent shivers on her spine. She gulped, she even dropped the shoes she were holding.

Then came the most familiar voice. His. He replied to whoever that guy was.

_Yeah, yeah. You are popular. Now let me get out of here._

When she was about to leave, he saw her and he called her name.

She instinctively turned away before he could see her face clearly. She stomped off.

"Did something happen again?" One of Sasayan's friends who saw the commotion commented. But Sasayan was just as confused as he is.

"Guess so." He answered.

* * *

><p>She thought there is no use avoiding him. So she had nothing else to do but to confront him and tell him the truth. At PE, she saw the opportunity. She had mustered up enough courage to talk to him alone, and he was sweaty too. His left hand was occupied with a basketball, but his face was serious.<p>

He had wondered what she was about to say, but he had a feeling he wouldn't like it, judging from the attitude she showed this morning. She was trying her best to look angry, or threatening or whatever. But Sasayan can see beads of sweat on her face. She couldn't even look at him directly in the eyes. _So much for acting to be intimidating._

He knew she'd be saying something unpredictable. But it was way more than he thought.

"I have to tell you that the answer is no." She said.

_Calling me out here just to tell me that?_

"Since morning, you kept ignoring me. And since were on the subject, during the summer holidays you ignored my calls and texts too. And now this?" He wasn't amused. She gets really confusing at times. And he can't keep up with it most of the time.

"It's about that night at the festival." She chose to be direct about it, which was fine for Ssasayan. For a moment he was even thinking she'd turn this way and that. But fortunately...

"It really is about that…" He thought about it. "The day I lost my mind… and then of all things, I commited the unspeakable act of holding hands with you." He looked at her straight in the face, trying hard not to look away first. "So?" He was putting on the scary face too.

"I'm going to say this in advance." Her voice was a bit louder now, and her confidence seemed to rise. "I think of you as a good friend, and if you fall in love with me or something, I will be bothered!"

"Huh?" Sasayan was too stunned to even say anything back. "You think that I fell in love with you just by holding hands with you?"

"This was all due to my carelessness. It will not happen again. So that's why, you should not take it the wrong way." Natsume replied sternly.

_More like you're the one taking it the wrong way._

Sasayan wanted to argue more, but he reckoned they won't get anywhere with it. So, he used his tactic of being straightforward. "Are you stupid, Natsume?"

That broke up the intimidating face she was wearing. It turned into wide eyes and open mouth in a flash.

"What did you say?" She was mad now.

"So, if it really was what you said, I can't complain about the fact that you've given me the cold shoulder?" He turned his head to his side. "You're insane. And if you keep acting like that, you'll never make any more friends, Natsume-san!"

The supposed to be prevention-of-a-confession Natsume was hoping turned into a debate of frank insults and instructions.

"For a long time, I think you've been looking down on me." She replied. "I want you to stop snobbing other people just because you're popular."

"Who's doing that?!" He began to turn around, which made Natsume want to kick him. "Oh, I've been thinking this since long ago… Natsume-san, aren't you too full of yourself?"

It was a slap on Natsume's face. Once again, he won the argument.

* * *

><p>So there she was, wailing, sitting on the grass as Mitty studied nearby. She was frustrated, and she was the only one she could think of to call at times like these.<p>

"How could he talk to me like that?" She whined. "Even though I was trying to get along with him from here on out."

She wondered if Mitty was even listening to her. She was relieved when she replied, but not as relieved after she said the words.

"What? I think Natsume-san in the one who's wrong." She wasn't even looking at Natsume.

_Stupid Sasayan-kun. Even Mitty thinks I'm at fault._

Then she thought about it. She considered she'd say thanks after she'd sort it out. But it turned out into a fight.

"I didn't get to say 'Thank you for worring about me.'" She thought long and hard. If she'd said that before, would the course have changed? But then she remembered how smug he was. No no no no.

"How about apologizing?" Mitty suggested. "Sasayan is gentle and kind to everyone."

"That's right! Sasayan who always sees the best in everyone." She said sarcastically. "Is always strangely strict towards me! He treated me like an idiot who has few friends."

_Well, he's right. But that's not the deal this time. He's the bad guy._

"That's because Natsume-san made him mad, right?" Mitty said.

Then Iyo came, carrying tea. "Natsume-san shouldn't wonder about the quantity of friends."

Natsume looked around to see Mitty, Haru, and Iyo. It made her feel relaxed. "You see that?! That's right." She stood up gleefully. "No matter what Sasayan-kun says… I have wonderful friends that understand me!"

Then some of Sasayan's friends called them from the balcony. They were asking Haru if they could come with them later with Sasayan in the batting center. Natsume was surprised to see Haru answering them just fine.

It made her feel betrayed. Haru was the one who's supposed to be with her in this hard-to-make-friends sort of thing, but she felt completely left out now. And with Sasayan's friends too…

Gaaaaaah.

No matter how much she'd think. Sasayan would win. Her friends are also his friends too. But his friends aren't her friends. It's unfair in many ways. She ran. But she wasn't mad, she just want time alone.

* * *

><p>Sasayan doesn't want to see her. His friends had planned to ask Haru about going to the batting center, but then he'd see her too, since it'd be natural for her to run to him and Mitty and the others after getting in a fight with the shorty. So he hid.<p>

He sat down, covered by the railings. He heard his friends talk about Natsume running away after talking to Haru.

"Whatever, just leave her be." He commented. "Since she'll just falsely accuse you of something you don't understand."

His friends started talking about him and Natsume. About why he was still angry, about how he usually gets in a fight with Natsume and how he'd normally doesn't care about it that much.

"Natsume-san has a way of single-handedly making a mess of things." He said. He slid down on his back so he was now almost lying on the floor. "I can't handle her on my own."

His friends talked about him doing a good job. Neither Haru, nor Shizuku, nor Natsume is really easy to approach. But he pulled it off. His friends find this amazing even for him.

"But in the end." He admitted. "I'm being treated like an outsider to Natsume san. Honestly, my confidence has taken a hit." He paused. "Now that I think about it, Natsume-san resembles that person a bit."

* * *

><p>Then they were facing each other again, holding sweeps and dust pans on their hands. They could have a chance to be paired up any other day. But why now? Their feelings haven't changed since the argument, so they were mostly silent as they were seeping up the trash.<p>

But Sasayan wasn't the one who'd stay quiet, still.

"I'll be going to the manager's place later." He spoke. He wasn't waiting for a reply, so he continued immediately. "Well, with Yana and the others anyway." It's not like he was inviting her.

Or was he?

"Y-you don't need to worry about me." There she goes again. "Since it looks like I have things to do with Mitty, I will go with **everyone**! It's completely okay even if Sasayan-kun isn't with us."

Or is it?

"Oh, I see." Sasayan replied. "Work hard, then."

Since…

_For Sasayan-kun… I'm a useless person who can't do anything well._

_For Natsume-san… I am just another enemy, a male._

* * *

><p>But then they both ended up seeing each other on the batting center again, anyway.<p>

Natsume was taking make-up exam, but then when she was done, Mitty was already gone. She decided to go to the manager's. She saw Micchan talking on the phone just outside the door. She wondered if she'd greet him like the usual. While she was arguing over herself whether she'd speak or not…

"Hey, manager." Sasayan spoke behind her. She didn't dare turn around, of course. She just let him slide past her

"Oh welcome, Sasayan-kun, Natsume-chan."

And he didn't turn around when he passed by her.

* * *

><p>Sasayan grew tired of playing. He was thirsty, so he decided to ditch them for a while. He sat down on the floor near a window as he drank from his cup and wiped his mouth with his sleeves.<p>

"-kun..Sasayan-kun." He could've sworn he heard someone call his name. He continued to drink.

Then the window opened, and there he saw Natsume-san's face red from actually talking to him first after their argument and calling his name for a moment alone.

"You scared me." Sasayan said. "Hmm? Is Natsume-san actually talking to me, right now?"

She ignored him, not bothering to answer "yes". "Thank you…" Natsume admitted. "And… on that day of the festival." She was resting her chin on the window pane, and if he'd look up, he'd see her clearly.

"I've always wondered if I could be like Sasayan-kun…" She continued saying. "Even though, nothing ever goes the way I want it too."

"Um." Sasayan responded. "I think Natsume-san has the wrong impression of me. I'm not, like you describe, the type of person who sees everything clearly. Being suddenly ignored, I wondered why and fretted over it." He paused. "I was sad."

Natsume felt really guilty about it. "Sorry." She said, while her face turned red. "Um, I was happy. There has never been a boy who got mad at me or didn't go easy on me like you do. And because Sasayan-kun is a boy, I can fight with all I've got."

_Oh come on, Natsume-san. Don't make it hard for me to look at you again._

"When I think of that." She buried her face behind, since she was thinking Sasayan might be looking at her. "I want to be friends with you forever."

_You've done it._

Sasayan rubbed his eyes. He wasn't crying, but he need to do something to set his face back to normal. "I… Hey, Natsume-san, I get irritated when I see you."

He can hear her gasp. "Are- are you going to criticize me again?" She was afraid he'd really do.

"You're pointlessly frank." Sasayan ignored her and continued his talk. "..and you act strange sometimes. So you make me wonder whether or not you're hurt. But no matter what, you never run away."

_So he really do… get concerned… about me._

She opened the window completely.

"Can't we be friends again?" She was relieved to see him smile at her again.

"Um, yeah… Sorry Natsume-san." He stood up to see her clearly.

"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. We're friends again, right?" She said.

"Yeah, well technically, there wasn't a misunderstanding…" Sasayan spoke. "Since I DO like you."

Her smile went still after that. Well, her whole body did.

Sasayan wondered if he'd step on another minefield. But that's alright.

**-o0o-**

_I was completely ignored for a while, but gladly it didn't stay like that forever._

_I hate that part about Natsume-san. I was really mad at her for that…_

_Wait… No, that might be the part I like about her._


	20. Books and Sleeping

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.**

*-o0o-*

**21**

-0-0-0-

There are a lot of things Natsume don't understand about him. He was one of those people she liked to think has split personalities. Well, he doesn't have any, but she wants to brand him as someone who's not safe. Someone who's a bit dangerous.

Oh wait. Maybe he does seem a little off since Natsume notices he acts differently around her. You've ever had that friend who's cool with everyone, who can get along well with almost any person they meet, who always laughs and smiles and seems to be immune on any problems. Those kind of people make it difficult to pinpoint who they really care about. So how do you find it?

He's so square and simple, yet truthful and complicated. How do you know when they are talking to the person they like? Well, perhaps she should've seen it. She was the only one he can act so coldly upon, after all. The only one who can piss him off to the point where his scary self would come out. The only one who can make him serious in half a second.

She lies on her bed and she thought of how sophisticated Sasayan was. It irked her that he wouldn't just get off. For one, she may have a very shallow knowledge about confessions and acting in front of the person who just did it to you. She had very little information about it. She likes to overthink, and perhaps this is what she feels so irritated about.

The thing is, she didn't really expect him to say that. Not at all. First of all, before all that mess, he was really uncool to Natsume. He can turn into her nemesis from being the supporting friend in an instant whenever he doesn't agree to what she thinks, whenever he speaks his mind as she tries so hard to keep her thoughts from escaping. At the same time he was the one who makes her laugh nonstop. The one she can talk to when it comes to people she thinks is trying to get in the way between Mitty and Haru's relationship.

He said he didn't need a reply so what's she to worry about, anyway?

The next day they see each other at school, he acts as if nothing happened. But everytime she tries to forget it, she just couldn't. It echoes in her ears. So for the later days she always always tells him not to remind her about it. She doesn't need to worry, anyway. Sasayan wasn't the type of guy who would do that.

She's really clueless when it comes to things about this. In the mangas she read, the guys always always flirt with the girls they just confessed to. It's either they take her to movies, of treat tem kindly, or say things that would make their faces red and their heart beat faster than a race car. Sasayan wasn't like that, and maybe that's what's been bugging her. Well, sometimes he does say things that she doesn't want to hear or believe.

Sometimes she thinks what would the circumstances be if ever Sasayan were to take her some place.

Ridiculous. The scene is just so awkward and unreal and funny and unlikely that she says "thank you" to Sasayan in her mind because he never ever does that. Because of those thoughts, she finds herself looking at him without a reason and he looks back with a smile on his face.

He doesn't smile sometimes and just stares at her right in the eye until Natsume notices it and turns her head away first. She hates it when he does that.

She's left alone with him, especially when Mitty and Haru are busy in their complicated love life. He sits in front of her, leaning his head on his hands which are leaning on the table. His eyes move from left to right as he reads silently on his notebook, and he covers his mouth as he yawns and she watches as his eyes get shiny, as if he was about to cry.

Yawning is contagious so she does that, too. He doesn't speak a word. Either he's too immersed on Trigonometric Functions or he just has no idea what good topic it would be to talk to. Natsume wasn't one who'd open up topics too, so she stays silent as well. Her eyes move the same way his does as she reads on Philosophy.

It's boring boring boring and none of them are going to do anything to get rid of it.

"Since when did you start to spend your free time in the library anyway?" He asks, never taking his eyes off his notes. It somehow annoys her. She rolls her eyes to her side.

"Since I started hanging out with Mitty." She says and when she looks at him again, his eyes are already on hers. It makes her flinch away, but she doesn't show it. His eyes are so stunningly similar to that of a cat. It doesn't help that she likes cats. There was once a time of her life when her background on her pc was a slideshow of pictures of fluffy and adorable little kittens.

He isn't fluffly and adorable. He is short and his hair is funny. He let out a huge amount of air. "Don't you ever get bored?"

She faces him and bites her lip before answering. "When she's around, no I don't."

"So I'm guessing you're bored now." He says, obviously a little damaged about her subtle indication that he was no fun to be with. She doesn't answer and instead turns her head back to Plato. "Should I leave?"

He waits for an answer but he never gets a reply. He stares at her for a while because that's the only thing that would get her. Other people poke other people's cheeks to get someone's attention, others shout, others act all annoying, but he just looks at her and she loses. He waits until her mouth pouts until he lets out a silent laugh.

"Go on." She says.

Sasayan shrugs his shoulders, grabs his bag from the empty chair on his side and starts to walk away. He steps and then stops to look back at her. She doesn't move from her position. He takes three steps, a little slower this time before he turns his head around. "If you need me, I'll be in the classroom."

She doesn't answer.

He looks at her once more before finally leaving.

She fell asleep there. She wished she wasn't drooling on the pages of the book she was holding or else she'd embarrass herself. Darn Sasayan-kun! He really left. She opens her eyes gently and doesn't get a clear vision. No one else seems to be occupying the other tables. She was alone in the library. She rubs her eyes as the librarian looks at her blankly.

She wondered if she ever did drool on the book since the woman was looking at her a little oddly. She glances on her table and there was nothing embarrassing to look at. She looked at the librarian again and realized it was just how she really is. She was someone who can look so annoyed and intrigued at the same time.

She feels a knock on her head. It was too sudden and too unexpected that she can't not say a word of irritation and pain. She looks up to see Sasayan holding the book on top of her head.

"Class is starting." He says, rather shyly. He was looking down on the book and pretended reading rather than facing her. It almost makes her smile because he was holding the book upside down.

"I would say thank you, Sasayan-kun." Natsume says in her usual upbeat voice. "But you don't have to hit my head with a book."

"Be thankful you woke up before the class already started." Sasayan says, rather sternly. "If you didn't, I'd have left you here snoring."

"Ha-ha." She says, placing her hands on her hips. "So Sasayan is such a bad guy he wouldn't wake a person from her sleep, preventing her from entering class and having a good future." She snickered.

"Let's go." Sasayan says.

"Did you come back, though?" Natsume says.

"No." Sasayan says. "I came here to wake you up." He headed to the door as Natsume followed behind him. Before they can leave the room, the librarian scoffs.

"You're awful at lying, little man." She says, punching marks on the book jackets on her desk. Natsume had no idea what she was talking about, but Sasayan seemed to stop on his heels. She watched as he raises his hand to his mouth and looked at his side, trying to act normal and stuff. But his face was red.

Natsume has to agree. He's awful at lying. Though she didn't really know what the lady was talking about.

He leaves the room first, not looking back at her. Natsume has to thank the librarian before leaving for making Sasayan look uncool.

"Uhm. Why is Sasayan awful at lying?" Natsume asked.

"Let's just say he didn't really leave when he said he was leaving." The librarian answered.

"Eh?" Natsume took a little step back, not quite believing the woman.

The librarian laughs. "What'd you do to him? He seemed yo afraid to touch you to wake you up."

"Ehh?" Natsume has to look down, rubbing her head of embarrassment. She remembered how Sasayan held her hand without her permission. She was so angry the day after that that they got into a fight. Is he afraid she'd jab at him the next time he touches her? Instead of answering, Natsume bows her head at her and heads to the door.

"What took you so long?" She found him waiting there, leaning on the wall. "Math is next, you know. You sure you want to be late, too? Your scores are bad enough."

Natsume sticks her tongue out at him. "As if you're way better."

"I am. By three points, at least." He grins.

She ignores him and heads to their classroom.


	21. Another Festival

-o0o-

**22**

Like any other ridiculous things that happen in a school festival, Sasayan finds a girl wearing a bear head mascot in the storage room. He would've helped her out, but the brown hair jutting out of the hole made him speak first.

"What are you doing, Natsume-san?"

_Sasayan…kun._

She remembers the last time they were alone. It would've been fine. But now, after his confession, all those times seemed a bit weird. Now she can't look at him without replaying the words that came out of his mouth.

Sasayan came to the storage to get some flour, instead he found her. He moves towards the shelves, where she was standing, and she flinches when he's suddenly on her side. It's like a terrorist had suddenly arrived, and that she forgot to move. She didn't dare turn her head. He notices this, of course.

"Natsume-san, don't avoid me so obviously." He says as if he's too sure of himself, which doesn't need approval. "I told you, I'm fine with being just friends." He emphasizes, or rather reminds her that she doesn't need to act as if she's mute whenever he's around. He looks at her, notices the trickle of sweat on her face.

"I wonder about that." She finally speaks. "I can't trust you. Actually, the moment you said you liked me felt like a small betrayal."

_Betrayal? _Sasayan wonders how she conjured up with betrayal. He recalls the first time they talked to each other. He just agreed to her about him not falling for her or anything out of the usual. Well, that may have been a wrong answer, huh. But then again, things would've worked out differently if he'd answered otherwise.

"Betrayal." Sasayan exclaims. "If you're talking about that, feeling something in your heart but hiding it would be betrayal."

"Anyway." It's like she doesn't listen and rambles on. "To think you were even THAT sort of person." She scoffs and looks away from him.

Well, Sasayan wonders that if he continues to argue, she still wouldn't end up supporting him… ever. Even if what he's been saying is true. And even so, he knows the girl quite well.

"Natsume-san." He says when her eyes finally met his. "It's because I know you… that I started liking you." He looks at her hopefully with his big eyes and… and that smile and that… She couldn't stand him sometimes.

And just like that she was left staring at him, confused if she'd throw the bear head on his face or scold him. The first option is fun, but she decided to do the other.

"As I was saying! STOP DOING THAT!"

And he'd just laugh. "Thought so." He says as an extra.

And he leaves her as he goes out, the sound of his laughter minimizing until she can no longer hear it. She wonders how he manages to stay out of her sight but still give the feeling that his presence was still there. Somewhere.

She ignores it.

She can't.

She goes out of the storage room and manages to catch up to him. He was holding a box full of flour, after all. He hears her footsteps and looks behind his shoulders. He didn't know if he should laugh or prepare to run.

She passes by him without looking at him.

And how in the world did she end up with him in the ghost house? Iyo's class had put on a little scare for the festival. She had given Natsume two tickets, inviting her to come with someone she prefers. Natsume asked Mitty to come with her, even if she knew that the study bug wouldn't agree.

Shizuku was flipping patties. A food stall, that's what they came up. Well, there's no use asking Haru for now. Natsume doesn't even know where he went anyway. Shizuku says he disappeared, stealing cabbages from their stall.

So she stood there outside, torn between her fear of walking in alone as she imagines the worst case scenarios the moment she steps through the door, or the queasy feeling she gets if she manages to not go on, therefore unaccepting the precious little gift her newfound friend specially gave to her. Well, Iyo was the one who approached her first, after all. That never happens when it came to girls. Besides, the ticket was expensive, she couldn't just throw it away. And to make it worst, the freshman had given her two. What did she expect, Natsume had a boyfriend?

A boy from their class notices Natsume and he walks over to her. "Asako-san?" He speaks. Natsume almost jumps out of her skin, she wondered if they were putting up ghosts outside the horror house too.

She realized it was just… just… She doesn't remember his name, but she recognizes his face. He was the first from their class who told her he likes her, and at the first day of school, too. He made quite a scene. Or more accurately, she made quite a scene. After that, Natsume was certain he'd never have the courage to speak to her again. Guess she was wrong.

"Oh.. hi." She tries to speak normally.

"Are you… waiting for someone?" Natsume was certain that was the same tone he was using the first time he spoke to her.

"No- no one in particular."

"Why are you standing here alone?" He asks. Then he notices the two tickets she's holding in her hands. "Are you going in?" The boy continues to speak when she doesn't reply. "With whom?"

Natsume looks at him, for the first time she looked at a boy without feeling like she was about to turn them down. "No- no one, I said, didn't you hear?" She was trying to sound angry but…

"Well, you know. If you don't have anyone to go with… I- I can, i-if you want to." He was trying to sound convincing, and brave. She was trying to be deaf.

Natsume thinks about going inside a haunted house with a boy she doesn't really know anything about, much like his name. She imagines that would be pretty scary, and wrong, and-and. And she sees him holding out another box filled with who knows what? Sasayan passes by Natsume and the guy as if he didn't see them. Well, to Natsume, at least.

Natsume learns the name of the boy standing in front of her because Sasayan asks him what's up. "Ryougo, what's up?" is what he said. Before Sasayan could completely pass by them though, she grabs his elbows and starts to speak. Sasayan was so surprised that he dropped the box he was holding. Thankfully it was empty.

"Sa-sa" She looks at him before speaking his name clearly. "Sasayan-kun." She squeals, almost too uncertain. "This other ticket already belongs to Sasayan-kun. Sorry." She addresses the guy, though she looks more like she'd escaped a collapsing building than sorry.

The guy looked at Natsume, then to Sasayan, then to Natsume again before leaving. When he was out of her sight, she sighed.

"What was that about?" Sasayan asks her.

And she realizes she was still holding his elbows. She immediately lets go.

"No-none of your business." She says dumbly.

She's the one who got him into the situation in the first place. How can she say it's not his business? Sasayan wants to point this out but he'd rather not make her angry again.

"Owkay." He purses his lips before picking up the box on the ground and turns around to leave. She grabs ahold of him again, on the sleeves, this time. Her eyes were focused on the ground, and she can't seem to look up. Sasayan thinks she's trembling as her fingers gripped tightly on his shirt. She doesn't say a word, but judging from the pieces she was holding on her other hand, he can pretty much figure out what's happening.

"Fine." He says. "But you help me carry those boxes back inside the storage."

She still doesn't say a word. But she nods.

And now Sasayan felt her grip tighter than ever. He never thought Natsume was this kind of a scaredy-cat. She jumps at even the tiniest rumbles on her side, screams when she sees floating lights ahead, and apparently at one time, she asked him to carry her, because she feels like her legs couldn't carry her body anymore.

One moment she doesn't want him to say complimentary things about her, the next she asks him to carry her. Was this a good moment to blush or not? Of course! She couldn't see it anyway.

"Your just being paranoid, Natsume-san."

"But someone's been tickling my back." She stares at him and her eyes were wide. "I'm not even sure if it's a someone." She wailed. The corridor was pretty dark. Iyo's class is definitely good at decorating. The place looked like it was about to collapse, though thankfully it didn't. Cobwebs lined the ceiling and there was a weird, sticky substance on parts of the walls where the wallpapers were ripped off. There was also a musky smell in the air, something like chemicals that make you feel sick. Sasayan can't really blame Natsume for being so scared. He does feel a bit tingly as well.

Of course, he doesn't show it. She was gripping his arms, after all.

"Come on, the exit must be near." Sasayan reassures her. "Besides, I can't possibly carry you. I'm too short."

Natsume didn't answer. She was too busy flailing her head at every direction where she claims to have heard or seen something.

Sasayan can only laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" Natsume asked. "This isn't a place to laugh!"

"What is wrong with you anyway? Why'd you accept the ticket if you can't even take five seconds inside here?"

"I didn't know it was a haunted house!" She reasons. She heard a noise just a few feet from where she was sitting. A scratching noise. Something Sasayan heard as well.

"Sasayan Sasayan Sasayan" She was repeating his name in a loop. Sasayan would've walked on, but he wasn't sure which way to go. They faced a blank wall, and he wasn't sure whether to go left or right. The scratching noise came from behind them, and somehow, it's gotten louder. Natsume was still saying his name over and over again. He can tell on the left path that the corridor would we darker. And there was another sound he heard, water dripping. Each drip creating an eerie effect. Natsume was looking at the right, where it was dark as well, but not as dark as it is on the left.

"Let's go here." Natsume insisted, moving along and dragging Sasayan with him. She didn't take more than five steps though when she stepped on something mushy. They heard someone wince which made Natsume believe that she might've stepped on someone. Then a hand grabbed her by the legs, in which she screamed at the top of her lungs. Perhaps that was the loudest scream Sasayan has ever heard. As soon as she felt the cold skin on hers, she wiggled her feet frantically, almost kicking Sasayan. She fell back on her butt, and the fall made him hold Sasayan's hand. But the ghost, or whatever monster it is was still gripping her legs. She wiggled again, harder this time, and successfully stopped the hand from clutching her. Then it emerged, a girl Natsume doesn't wish to ever meet again. Long, wet, cramped hair that covered entirely her face. She completely resembled that ghost girl that goes out of the television from the horror movie she watched when she was a kid. It was crawling towards her, and she was still on her butt. Sasayan also saw the girl of course, and he wanted to run. But Natsume was still holding his hand, and if he ran on his own, he'd be dragging her with all her weight. He hauled her to her feet instead, and a hard time doing so, since Natsume was almost frozen on the floor. She was still unbalanced, but she managed to stand straight when Sasayan started running, and the ghost girl, whoever that is, crawled faster than ever, trying to catch up to them as they ran on who knows where, as long as they can get away from her.

"You're so heavy!" Sasayan commented as they ran.

"What are you saying at these times, Sasayan-kun? I don't eat that much cake, do I?!" Natsume answered, occasionally looking back to see if the girl had followed them. But as they ran faster and faster, she eventually disappeared. She probably got tired of crawling as well. Though Natsume can't help but look back still, she worried the ghost might suddenly appear from the walls or the ceiling. Thankfully, after turning a lot of corners, they eventually found a light.

"Let's hurry out of here." Her voice was weird.

She ran faster that time, determined to leave that haunted place. She didn't care about the wailing ghost they passed by as she ran, she almost even punched the Frankenstein boy. At this point, Sasayan was already laughing.

"Hey hey hey slow down, my arms are gonna rip off." Sasayan yells.

"Not a chance, the exit's almost there." She says without looking back at him.

She was panting as they got out of that sick place. She was about to fall down when Iyo tackled her from behind. She was hugging Natsume, whose head was still probably dizzy with what she's been through, "Iyo-chan… Why?"

"Oh Natsume-senpai. You were amazing out there." Iyo gleefully speaks. "You screamed the loudest!" She looks at Sasayan. He shrugs his shoulders.

"Commemoration photo?" She says as she shows both of them a picture of Natsume clinging super tight on Sasayan, the color on her face faded while the boy looks at her, laughing. That was probably the time when the chest opened up to reveal a masked man holding a knife.

"I'll take that." Sasayan says as he grabs it from Iyo's hands and slips it in his pocket. Natsume was still too weak to argue with him.

"Sasahara-senpai." Iyo looks at him with those eyes again. The same eyes she said Sasayan could not "deceive". "I'll go on now. Please take care of Natsume-senpai." She takes one glance down at Natsume's hands, which were still clamped tightly on Sasayan's before she took off.

"Sasayan-kun." Natsume speaks. "I'm never going back there again."

Sasayan laughs. "Don't worry. I won't either. My arms are sore. You should control your grip."

"I'm sorry." She says, still panting and sitting on the floor. Then she notices how her hands were still holding his, she immediately lets go.

"But… but thanks."She says, touching her hand warily, as if she just got a hold of a virus rather than fingers. It was a little too quiet, but Sasayan can hear it quite well.

"Yeah- yeah." He says. He smiles but he hides it as she looks up. "Can you stand on your own?"

She nodded.

"Well then." He says. "I'm off with my errand." He leaves with a salute. "The boxes are waiting."

She yells at him before he turns to a corner. "Shouldn't I be helping?"

Sasayan stopped. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "Nah. Just forget about it."

And he's gone.

And the truth was he couldn't let her because he felt like he was going to burst if he'd spend another minute beside her again.

-oo0oo-

**A/N: Sorry, this took too long. I actually have this sitting on my laptop for some time now. I just got busy... kind of. I do hope this chapter was a great read though. Even if, like the others, it is quite short.**


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